Few seniors in the Division I circuit have matched the resounding success Ryan Kalkbrenner has achieved over the years. Standing tall at 7’1″ and possessing exceptional athleticism, Kalkbrenner rightfully earned the #8 spot on ESPN’s 2024-25 preseason top 100 players list, owing to his unwavering dedication to success. This commitment has also earned Kalkbrenner deep respect across the Big East Conference, where he’s established himself as one of the league’s most dominant players. But Ryan wasn’t always the powerhouse he is today.

“Growing up in St. Louis, I was always the tall, skinny kid,” he recalled in his heartfelt essay, “Cheers to My Final Season.” In fact, his journey began at Trinity Catholic High School, as a gangly teen looking for a direction in life. One could even say that he wasn’t even a serious player at first. It was his mother—a former player for St. Louis University—who initially signed him up for basketball. As Ryan recalls, everything shifted during his sophomore year, “So the competitive gene was in me, and in my sophomore year of high school, something clicked.“

From High School star to Creighton’s elite center

This change was so dramatic that, by his junior year of high school, Kalkbrenner, who as he described himself was not a “serious player” started turning heads, as he averaged 13.9 points per game. What stood out for Ryan, however, were his defensive instincts, which were particularly sharp, and helped him grab 7.6 rebounds and make 3.9 blocks per game. This would in turn earn him the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019 while playing for the Mac Irvin Fire on the AAU circuit.

Unlike many others, the game only seemed to become easier for Kalkbrenner. As he reached his senior year, Ryan averaged 16.3 points per game and increased his contributions on the defensive end by making 5.7 blocks and grabbing 11 rebounds per game. This allowed him to quickly become one of the most sought-after recruits in the country. By virtue of this, he was ranked as a top-100 prospect by Rivals and 247Sports (75th) besides ESPN (98th).

This made him a four-star recruit, with a lot of offers from major programs such as Stanford, Purdue, and Kansas. However, he would ultimately choose Creighton over others, citing a strong connection with the coaching staff and his confidence in Coach Greg McDermott‘s system.

Although the transition from high school to college basketball saw him start his season as a bench player in his freshman year, Ryan gradually carved himself a spot on the team. “One of the things that coaches always liked about my game was my defense,” Kalkbrenner noted.

“For me, it’s not about blocking every shot, just making every shot hard to shoot.” His freshman stats were modest—5.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game—but he led all Big East freshmen in blocks, forcing the Bluejays to utilize him on their defensive front.

This utilization would help Ryan to carve out a place for himself in Creighton’s Starting line-up. In fact, his defensive acumen would also become Creighton’s backbone. Hence, by his sophomore year, Ryan would start averaging 13.1 points on the offensive end. While on the defensive end of the court, he had become a beast by averaging 7.7 rebounds and making 2.6 blocks per game.

This transformation would also earn him an Honorable Mention All-Big East and Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors. But as Kalkbrenner’s role expanded, so did his ambitions. “I didn’t want to be known for ‘just’ that,” he said, referring to his defensive prowess. “I wanted to be known as a good player, period.”

It’s safe to say he achieved that goal. Kalkbrenner’s junior season saw him reach new heights, with averages of 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting a remarkable 69.5% from the field.

All Kalkbrenner needed to do was deliver a performance worthy enough to establish his greatness on both ends of the court. Let’s just say he did just that by delivering a career-high 31-point performance in the NCAA tournament’s first-round win over North Carolina State, which solidified his reputation as a reliable offensive threat and a force in the paint.

His efforts in his junior year to transform once again helped him take home the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award. However, this time nobody doubted Ryan’s versatility as a two-way player.

In fact, this rise of Kalkbrenner on the court also expanded his off-court presence. As currently in 2024, according to On3.com Ryan currently has a social media following of 15.9K on Instagram and an additional 11.2K on Twitter. His influence and appeal in the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) space have positioned him as one of the top players in college basketball. Valued at an impressive $1.5 million, he ranks #27 overall in college basketball NIL valuations and stands among the top 10 players in his field.

Ryan Kalkbrenner’s last dance: A season to cement his legacy

Entering his final season, Ryan Kalkbrenner has evolved from a gangly teen to a defensive force and now, the very rock that Creighton relies on. In fact, his growth over the years might feel nostalgic for many Creighton fans.

Kalkbrenner recently reflected on his time with the Bluejays, saying, “Creighton has been my home since I started my collegiate career. Four years of memories later, I’m back in Omaha for one more season before I close this chapter. But first, we’ve got some unfinished business to attend to.”

For Ryan, that unfinished business includes winning a Big East championship and another deep NCAA Tournament run. As Kalkbrenner put it, “Creighton: BIG EAST Champions would have a nice ring to it.”

Although Creighton will look to Ryan Kalkbrenner as a bastion of leadership this season, his decision to stay wasn’t easy. Last season, Kalkbrenner had to choose between declaring for the NBA draft or returning for his final year.

After much deliberation, he chose to stay. “I want to wait to enter the NBA until the situation feels right,” he explained. “Plus, there are a million worse things than returning to a city I love for one more year.”

With this decision of Ryan’s, Creighton has not only increased its chances to win a title this season but has also put everything on the line to do something special. No matter the outcome, his legacy as one of the greatest players in program history is already secure.