Kentucky players must expect the unexpected when Kerr Kriisa is on the floor

Kerr Kriisa does not lack confidence. From jaw with Luka Doncic to take subtle pictures of Cooper Flaghe is a man who is not afraid to speak his mind. You love it when he’s on your team, but hate it when he’s on the other side. That confidence translates directly to his style of play on the field.

“He’s electric,” Kentucky guard Otega Oweh said of Kriisa on Monday. “Every time he’s out there, he’s going to do something, whether it’s yelling in somebody’s face, he’s going to slam the floor, smack the post. When he does that, it’s electrifying because he gets everybody fired up and gets everybody turned .”

The Big Blue Nation saw that firsthand Saturday when Kriisa came off the bench and dished out a dozen assists — tying a career high — in just 21 minutes against Bucknell, a 100-72 UK win. Eight of those dimes came in the second half, which started slow for Kentucky but picked up the moment Kriisa entered the game. He did everything Oweh mentioned: yelling in other people’s faces, slamming the post after a defensive stop, just being himself.

Each assist came with more flair than the last. Kriisa completely fooled defenses with his eyes, although he admitted that the no-look passes have become easy to scout. He has even had his teammates shoot passes without looking. His vibe is contagious.

“Everyone’s head must be on a swivel (when Kriisa is inside),” Kentucky center Amari Williams said on Monday. “We have even seen Koby Brea throw a no-look pass. You just need to know that the passport can come at any time.”