LJ Cryer updates injury, status for next season with Baylor

After battling a foot injury over the past month, Baylor guard LJ Cryer took to Twitter to update his status with the team. Cryer said he had surgery to repair stress fractures in both of his feet, and expects to return to Waco for a third season in 2022-23.

“This season was really difficult after getting off to a good start and then missing so many games while injured,” he wrote. “I learned a lot watching my teammates and tried to support them in every way possible. The good news is I recently had surgery to repair stress fractures in both feet, and I expect to be back in plenty of time for next season. I’m looking forward to getting back on the court as soon as possible and appreciate everyone’s support throughout this process.”

Prior to his injury troubles, LJ Cryer was one of the top options for Baylor basketball this past season. The 6-foot-1 sophomore averaged 13.5 points across 19 games of action while starting in three contests. However, he played his last game of the year on Feb. 15, logging 15 minutes against Texas Tech. The Bears never officially ruled Cryer out for the season, listing him as game-to-game, but the NCAA Tournament came and went without Cryer making his return.

Although No. 1 seeded Baylor managed to handle Norfolk State in the first round, the Bears fell to eighth-seeded North Carolina in the round of 32. It was a disappointing end to the year for the defending national champion Bears, who were also without forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua after he suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Cryer was a four-star recruit and the No. 99 overall player in the 2020 recruiting class according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. His return for next season should help Scott Drew and the Bears continue to be one of the country’s top college basketball teams. Cryer will look to put his injury behind him and take another leap forward.