Ryan Kalkbrenner

[Django]

Bartelstein is a long-time agent - 1st big rep was Hot Rod Williams.

The hosts set him up to talk about the changing world of the NBA, and he immediately started talking about Kalk scoring 49 that week. Then Windhorst and Bartelstein talked about Kalk compared to Edey, and how it was a difficult decision by Kalk (but the right one - according to Bartelstein) to not go through the draft evaluation. Instead, the was really proud of how he worked for six months to improve his strength and conditioning. Then, they talked about how Baylor had a similar experience at Creighton. Finally, he sort of went through why he thought Edey moved up into the 1st round and thought it was similar to Kalk. They also talked about how Bartelstein has a long relationship with McDermott. He is Doug's agent too.

There was a little discussion about agents going into college and how NIL required good representation. But, that was not a huge part of the interview.

So, it was a Creighton love fest for about 3-5 minutes right at the beginning of the podcast. It was basically the first thing that they talked about.

Bartelstein went through and talked about a bunch of other people he represents - but Creighton came up two or three times more during the podcast.

Thanks chap!

[Realhoops]

Kalk is Big East Player of the Week again this week:

https://www.bigeast.com/news/2025/1/20/ ... onors.aspx

[SeattleJay]

I really loved seeing Ryan diving for a loose ball during the U Conn game. That’s leadership and I’m sure it fires up his teammates.

And before someone else says this, I sure hope he doesn’t get hurt.

[Realhoops]

Now named the AP *NATIONAL* Player of the Week. Not bad for "Just Tall."

https://x.com/AP_Top25/status/1881812909359071462

[SeattleJay]

Now named the AP *NATIONAL* Player of the Week. Not bad for "Just Tall."

https://x.com/AP_Top25/status/1881812909359071462

Thanks for sharing.
Well deserved,Ryan!!

[Alphawalt]

Now named the AP *NATIONAL* Player of the Week. Not bad for "Just Tall."

https://x.com/AP_Top25/status/1881812909359071462

ESPN + article from two weeks ago does not have Kalkbrenner on even third team all-American- boo! If not second team, I think he is surely third team:

All-American Teams

First Team

Borzello
Johni Broome, Auburn
Kam Jones, Marquette
Cooper Flagg, Duke
Eric Dixon, Villanova
PJ Haggerty, Memphis

Medcalf
Johni Broome, Auburn
Cooper Flagg, Duke
Kam Jones, Marquette
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
Eric Dixon, Villanova

Medcalf: I think we can both agree that any All-America first team that does not include Johni Broome, Cooper Flagg and Kam Jones is invalid. But I think there is more subjectivity beyond those names. In my opinion, Eric Dixon is the Joe Burrow of college basketball and that's why I have him over PJ Haggerty, who is obviously having an excellent season. Dixon doesn't get the respect he deserves despite carrying Villanova with ridiculous numbers that could help the Wildcats stumble into the postseason. We both agree on Chaz Lanier in that group, too.

Borzello: Agreed on the three locks. Broome, Flagg and Jones all need to be on the first team. The last two spots are up for debate, although Dixon leading the country in scoring and Villanova's uptick in form give him a strong case. I lean Haggerty slightly over Lanier after the Tennessee guard's past two games. Haggerty has been incredible for a top-15 Memphis team, though. Entering the weekend, he was averaging 22.2 points, 5.7 points, 3.3 assists on 50% field goal shooting and 44.7% 3-point shooting.

Medcalf: From there, it gets interesting.

Second Team

Borzello
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
Braden Smith, Purdue
Mark Sears, Alabama
Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

Medcalf
PJ Haggerty, Memphis
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
Braden Smith, Purdue
Javon Small, West Virginia
Walter Clayton Jr., Florida

Medcalf: I'm curious to see if that effort at Florida hurts Lanier down the road because it's such a baffling moment for an incredible player and team. But I agree that thus far, he has been a reliable force in the toughest matchups for the Vols. My thought on Javon Small is that West Virginia -- which hasn't had Tucker DeVries for a chunk of the season due to injury -- is probably a .500 team without him. He had a double-double at Kansas, 26 points against a rising Georgetown squad, 31 in a win over Gonzaga and eight assists in his team's first matchup against Arizona.

Third Team

Borzello
Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State
Javon Small, West Virginia
Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee

Medcalf
Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State
Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
Graham Ike, Gonzaga

Borzello: I love Small. I was baffled he didn't make the 25-man Wooden Award midseason watch list. He has been fantastic. I moved Gilbert down to the third team to make room for Mark Sears, who has been great the past six weeks, but I think Gilbert deserves some highlighting. For most of the season, he was the catalyst for a top-three Iowa State team and outplayed Kam Jones head-to-head.

For the final guy on my third team, I've been going back and forth for a week. I think Zeigler makes a great case, and he bounced back nicely from the loss to Florida. I think Ryan Nembhard is a name. You obviously have Ike. Josh Hubbard and Wade Taylor have arguments, although Taylor's injury hurts. Alex Karaban isn't far off. We'll get to Danny Wolf's case a little later. I weighted recent performances pretty heavily for that spot.

[Realhoops]

As far as I’m concerned you should be banned from pretending to be any kind of expert if you suggest Alex Karaban is in the all American conversation. The Hunter Dickinson ignorance is bad enough.

[Realhoops]

Named to the Naismith national Defensive Player of the Year watch list:

https://gocreighton.com/news/2025/2/5/m ... -list.aspx

Notably, so is Stevie Mitchell (who Marquette guards are convinced is going to be completely robbed for BE DPOY because he's the greatest defender that has ever graced a basketball court and Kalkbrenner just stands in the lane doing nothing) and Kadary Richmond (who continues to baffle me by being consistently regarded as a player of the year and now defensive player of the year candidate despite seeming absolutely average in all respects to me).

[SDJay]

Named to the Naismith national Defensive Player of the Year watch list:

https://gocreighton.com/news/2025/2/5/m ... -list.aspx

Notably, so is Stevie Mitchell (who Marquette guards are convinced is going to be completely robbed for BE DPOY because he's the greatest defender that has ever graced a basketball court and Kalkbrenner just stands in the lane doing nothing) and Kadary Richmond (who continues to baffle me by being consistently regarded as a player of the year and now defensive player of the year candidate despite seeming absolutely average in all respects to me).

Last year @ the BET, when they announced Kalk as the Big East DPOY & his picture was on the Jumbotron, many U Conn & MU fans booed. Classy all around

[jaysbanker]

Named to the Naismith national Defensive Player of the Year watch list:

https://gocreighton.com/news/2025/2/5/m ... -list.aspx

Notably, so is Stevie Mitchell (who Marquette guards are convinced is going to be completely robbed for BE DPOY because he's the greatest defender that has ever graced a basketball court and Kalkbrenner just stands in the lane doing nothing) and Kadary Richmond (who continues to baffle me by being consistently regarded as a player of the year and now defensive player of the year candidate despite seeming absolutely average in all respects to me).

Last year @ the BET, when they announced Kalk as the Big East DPOY & his picture was on the Jumbotron, many U Conn & MU fans booed. Classy all around

They put the ass in class....