Is Ryan Kalkbrenner returning to Creighton? Exploring the impact on the Big East if the Blue Jay star returns

Creighton Bluejays center Ryan Kalkbrenner has been one of the most talked about NBA draft prospects. He initially declared for the NBA draft, but recently took to Twitter to confirm the rumors that he is un-declaring and instead returning to Creighton for his senior season.

This is massive news as the Bluejays are retaining a 7-0, 235-pound dominant force down low in the paint who posted a 27.4 PER and 6.5 win shares last season. How will this news impact Creighton's chances of being seen as a threat to the NCAA Championship?

What will Ryan Kalkbrenner bring to the Creighton Bluejays?

Ryan Kalkbrenner has already shown to be a dominant force for this Creighton squad. He has been part of the Bluejays for three seasons already and in 99 games (68 starts) throughout his career has been very great. He is averaging 11.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and two blocks per game.

He has improved each season as a player as 2022-23 saw Ryan Kalkbrenner average 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 2.1 blocks while starting all 34 games he appeared in. His shooting stroke also drastically improved as he is shooting 69.5 percent from the field, 31.6 percent from beyond the arc in limited attempts, and 79.5 percent from the free-throw line.

The Creighton Bluejays made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last season and lost to the San Diego State Aztecs. Ryan Kalkbrenner was able to perform at another level as he averaged 20 points, 6.3 rebounds, one assist, and 1.8 blocks per game.

The program has lost a bit of talent as guard Ryan Nembhard has transferred to the Gonzaga Bulldogs. However, they added redshirt freshman Jonathan Lawson from the Memphis Tigers. Creighton is going to be seen as a top program in the Big East Conference as there is an incredible talent with the reigning NCAA Champion UConn Huskies, Marquette Golden Eagles, and Xavier Bulldogs just to name a few teams.

Will Ryan Kalkbrenner elevate the Creighton Bluejays to the next level? Possibly. However, they are returning to the same team and he could improve even more in his senior season to the point where they are viewed as top dogs in the conference.

It is going to be tough to see the Bluejays even compete in the Big East Conference Tournament because of the elite programs, but they should be a tough team to play with Kalkbrenner on board.