Kerr Kriisa Baptized Shortly Before Arrest in the US

Estonian basketball player Kerr Kriisa, who was detained last week in the US on suspicion of involvement in a fraudulent scheme, gave an interview to sports journalist Alan Cutler on his podcast "The no filter Alan Cutler show" shortly before his arrest. During the interview, Kriisa spoke about his spiritual journey and disclosed that he had recently been baptized.

"I was baptized last Sunday. I took a big step in my faith, and I'm very proud of it. It took me time to turn to God for help, but I finally took that step and I feel great," said Kriisa.

He also discussed how his six years in the United States changed his perspective on basketball: "I took a step back for a moment and realized that basketball is just a part of me. When I step onto the court, I can be myself and give my all."

This summer, Kriisa was slated to play for the University of Kentucky alumni team "La Familia" in The Basketball Tournament (TBT). He admitted that he agreed to participate as soon as he learned that the team would face Louisville in the first round. "When I heard we were playing against Louisville, I immediately agreed. That was all I needed to hear," he said, adding that he wanted to defeat the rival after a loss the previous season.

Kriisa also confirmed that the TBT was meant to be his final appearance in the United States before starting his professional career abroad: "Winning this tournament would mean everything to me. I feel it would be the perfect way to close the American chapter and go overseas to start a professional career."

In the most emotional part of the interview, Kriisa spoke about the importance of family and his longing for home. He recalled losing his grandfather in August of last year, who was like a father to him. "I grew up with my grandfather. He played the role of a father in my life. It's hard to think that over the past six years I only saw him about five times," Kriisa admitted.

He said the main cost of a professional career abroad was having too little time for family. "In moments like these, you start to think about what really matters in life. Choices made for a career meant less time with family. I may be 35, but I miss my mom and grandma just as much as I did when I was 17. Family is the best part of life," he said.

Kriisa was arrested on July 3 in Kentucky. In West Virginia, he has been charged with alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme that, according to the US Department of Justice, ran from 2022 until June 2 of this year. Following his arrest, Kriisa was also removed from the "La Familia" roster for the TBT tournament.