Ryan Kalkbrenner

Ryan Kalkbrenner
Kalkbrenner in 2024
No. 11 – Charlotte Hornets
PositionCenter
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (2002-01-17) January 17, 2002
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Listed height7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Listed weight256 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High schoolTrinity Catholic
(Spanish Lake, Missouri)
CollegeCreighton (2020–2025)
NBA draft2025: 2nd round, 34th overall pick
Drafted byCharlotte Hornets
Playing career2025–present
Career history
2025–presentCharlotte Hornets
Career highlights
Stats at NBA.com 
Stats at Basketball Reference 
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing the  United States
FIBA Under-19 World Cup
2021 Latvia Team

Ryan Thomas Kalkbrenner (born January 17, 2002) is an American basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Creighton Bluejays.

High school career

Kalkbrenner played basketball for Trinity Catholic High School in St. Louis, Missouri.[1] As a junior, he averaged 13.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game, earning AAA Player of the Year and Class 3 All-State honors.[2][3] Kalkbrenner competed for Mac Irvin Fire on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit, and was named Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.[4] In his senior season, Kalkbrenner averaged 16.3 points, 11 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game, repeating as a Class 3 All-State selection.[5] A consensus four-star recruit, he committed to playing college basketball for Creighton over offers from Stanford, Purdue and Kansas.[6]

College career

Kalkbrenner came off the bench in his freshman season at Creighton. On December 17, 2020, he recorded a season-high 15 points and five rebounds in a 94–76 win over St. John's.[7] As a freshman, Kalkbrenner averaged 5.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, leading all Big East freshmen in blocks.[8] On February 12, 2022, he scored a career-high 22 points and had 15 rebounds in an 80–66 win against Georgetown.[9] Kalkbrenner was named Honorable Mention All-Big East as well as Defensive Player of the Year.[10][11] He suffered a knee injury in a 72–69 overtime win over San Diego State in the NCAA Tournament, ending his season. Kalkbrenner averaged 13.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.[12]

During the following NCAA tournament, Kalkbrenner scored a career-high 31 points during a 72–63 first round win over NC State.[13]

On October 23, 2024, he was named 2024-2025 Big East Conference Preseason Player of the Year.[14] On November 6, he scored a career-high 49 points in a win over the UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros and set a Bluejays record with 20 made field goals.[15] Kalkbrenner averaged 19.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. He received the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award, and was named a Third Team All-American.[16]

Professional career

Kalkbrenner was selected with the 34th pick of the 2025 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets.[17]

National team career

Kalkbrenner represented the United States at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Latvia. He averaged 5.9 points, four rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, helping his team win the gold medal.[18]

Personal life

Ryan's parents are Kraig and Lynn Kalkbrenner, his brother is Nate Kalkbrenner.[19] He married Rachael Saunders, a Creighton women's basketball alumna, in August 2024.[19]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2020–21 Creighton 31 0 13.8 .645 .000 .489 3.5 .3 .2 1.2 5.9
2021–22 Creighton 34 34 29.4 .646 .250 .736 7.7 .9 .4 2.6 13.1
2022–23 Creighton 34 34 32.2 .695 .316 .795 6.1 1.2 .6 2.1 15.9
2023–24 Creighton 35 35 34.7 .646 .296 .711 7.6 1.3 .4 3.1 17.3
2024–25 Creighton 35 35 34.5 .653 .344 .681 8.7 1.5 .5 2.7 19.2
Career 169 138 29.3 .658 .311 .709 6.8 1.1 .4 2.4 14.5

See also

References

  1. ^ Nyatawa, Jon (June 7, 2020). "Big East, beware: Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner is coming to block your shots". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  2. ^ Woodcock, Rees (March 28, 2019). "Illinois Basketball: Illini offer 2020 big man Ryan Kalkbrenner". Writing Illini. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  3. ^ Beasley, Joe (February 11, 2020). "Rim Protecting Big Man named to MOsports Super 50". Rivals. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  4. ^ Snow, Brian (September 23, 2019). "Top 75 center Ryan Kalkbrenner heads to Creighton". 247Sports. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  5. ^ "C: Ryan Kalkbrenner, senior, Trinity". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. March 28, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  6. ^ Nyatawa, Jon (September 23, 2019). "Recruiting: 2020 center Ryan Kalkbrenner commits to Creighton". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  7. ^ Nyatawa, Jon (December 27, 2020). "Creighton's reserves, who will be instrumental this year, aim to find consistency". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  8. ^ Nyatawa, Jon (June 30, 2021). "Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner honored to represent US at U19 World Cup". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  9. ^ "Hawkins scores 30 to carry Creighton over Georgetown 80-66". ESPN. February 12, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  10. ^ Schinzel, Gene (March 6, 2022). "Ryan Hawkins, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Creighton freshman trio net Big East honors". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  11. ^ Schinzel, Gene (March 7, 2022). "Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner named Big East Defensive Player of the Year". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  12. ^ "NCAA Tournament: Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner to miss rest of tourney because of knee injury". The Athletic. March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  13. ^ Kalkbrenner leads Creighton past NC State in March Madness
  14. ^ "Creighton's Kalkbrenner Named Preseason Player of the Year". www.bigeast.com. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  15. ^ Olson, Eric (November 7, 2024). "Ryan Kalkbrenner begins his 5th season at Creighton by scoring a career-high 49 points". AP News. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  16. ^ Sanders, Brendan (June 26, 2025). "St. Louis native among best available prospects for Day 2 of NBA Draft". The Alton Telegraph. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  17. ^ O'Connor, Owen (June 26, 2025). "BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets select Ryan Kalkbrenner". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  18. ^ Anderson, Rob (July 11, 2021). "Kalkbrenner Helps USA Win FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup". Creighton University Athletics. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  19. ^ a b "Ryan Kalkbrenner - 2024-25 - Men's Basketball". Creighton University Athletics. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
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