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Head coach Greg McDermott and the Creighton Bluejays are facing a rebuild in 2024-25. Baylor Schierman, Trey Alexander and Ryan Kalkbrenner all entered their names in the 2024 NBA draft.
The Blue Jays have also had three contributors enter the transfer portal, with Fredrick King and Johnathan Lawson as yet undecided. But here are the four Creighton players who saw playing time last year that could return for the 2025 season.
Top 4 basketball players who could return to Creighton for 2024-25 season
#1. Steven Ashworth
Ashworth was a senior last season, but has an extra year of eligibility and appears to be returning. The 6-foot-1 guard from Utah scored 11.1 points per game last year as a transfer from Utah State. In his four seasons, Ashworth has scored 1,421 points and drilled 284 3-point shots.
Ashworth stands to be the steadying veteran presence on a team with more than its fair share of potential newcomers. His life would likely get a bit easier if either King and/or Lawson also decided to return to Creighton next season.
#2. Mason Miller
Miller is another potential returning starter from last season's team that could make big strides this year. The rail-thin 6-foot-8 forward from the Memphis area averaged 5.6 ppg and 3.3 rebounds per game. Miller's biggest skill is his 3-point shooting. He connected on 45.4% of his 3-point attempts last year and scored 49 of his 61 baskets from 3-point range.
Miller had 10 points in Creighton's first-round NCAA Tournament game with Akron. His pure perimeter shot makes him an easy teammate for many players. With a lead guard and a long-range shooter returning from the starting lineup, the Bluejays have a good starting point for next season's squad if he returns.
#3. Isaac Traudt
A 6-foot-10 sophomore, Traudt was the highest-recruited player in his Creighton class. He started slow last year, finishing with averages of 2.9 ppg and 1.2 rpg. Like Miller, he's a pure shooter. Of Traudt's 69 shot attempts on the year, 57 were 3-point tries. He canned 42% of those attempts.
Traudt saw little playing time down the stretch of last season but still showed his scoring touch. In seven minutes against Seton Hall in the next-to-last game of the regular season, Traudt scored 11 points. If he can improve his rebounding and defense, Traudt will likely see substantially more playing time this season if he chooses to return.
#4. Jasen Green
A 6-foot-8 forward from Omaha, Green is a sophomore who impressed at times with his athleticism a season ago. While his averages of 1.6 ppg and 1.7 rpg aren't amazing, Green did connect on 65% of his shots. He also saw increasing playing time down the stretch last season.
The two games in which Green played the most minutes were the last two of the year, Creighton's win over Oregon and its loss to Tennessee. He played 18 and 19 minutes respectively in those games, scoring four points in each and grabbing 15 rebounds.
If he chooses to return and manages to pick up where he left off, the 2024-25 season could be a much more interesting one for Green.
Which potentially returning Bluejay are you most excited to see next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
