Creighton guard Ryan Nembhard will enter the transfer portal, according to multiple reports. Here’s what you need to know:
- Nembhard averaged 12.1 points and 4.8 assists in 37 starts for the Bluejays in 2022-23.
- He helped lead Creighton to the Sweet Sixteen at the NCAA Tournament, including a 30-point performance in a second-round victory over Baylor. The Bluejays fell to San Diego State in the Elite Eight.
- Nembhard is the younger brother of Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Where could Nembhard land?
It’s not often you see a high-major guy with this big of a role with a team as successful as Creighton enter the portal. The obvious connection here is Arizona and Tommy Lloyd. Lloyd recruited Ryan’s brother Andrew to Gonzaga. Nembhard is one of the top-five transfers on the market.
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The one knock on him is his size, but he knows how to run a team and play out of the pick-and-roll. He shoots it well and has an excellent feel. This will be a big addition for whoever adds him. — Moore
How surprising is this decision?
This one threw me for a loop. Creighton came within two free throws of making the Final Four, and with a possible top-five team coming back, it’s hard to see where the grass is so much greener. If we are reading the tea leaves accurately, and this is the Kerr Kriisa replacement plan at Arizona, I’m still curious. The Big East is going to be stacked next year, easily better than the Pac-12 top to bottom.
But here we are. Nembhard is a terrific, old-school point guard so whoever gets him will get a great decision-maker and floor general to lead the team, but it definitely delivers a blow to the Bluejays. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Arthur Kaluma and Trey Alexander have decisions to make, but odds are some combination of them will be back. But without Nembhard, the point guard to lead them, coach Greg McDermott will have some shuffling to do. — O’Neil
Backstory
Nembhard spent two seasons at Creighton under McDermott. With 64 career starts, he enters the transfer portal as one of the most experienced and coveted guards available.
The 2021 Big East Freshman of the Year was a four-star recruit out of high school and was the No. 11 point guard in the 2021 class, according to 247Sports.
Required reading
(Photo: Aaron Ontiveroz / MediaNews Group / The Denver Post via Getty Images)
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