Air Force transfer wing Rytis Petraitis is Cal's latest basketball commit
Every program hopes to finish a recruiting cycle strong, and Cal's basketball team is doing just that as Mark Madsen and his staff rebuild the roster this offseason. Recruiting has changed in recent years, and being able to bring in talent from the transfer portal is paramount in building a roster each year.
Madsen has had to dip into the portal often through his first year as the Bears' head coach, and ending on a high note has become part of the routine.
Sunday, the Bears capped an important weekend by adding another top playmaker to the team with the commitment announcement of Air Force standout wing Rytis Petraitis.
The 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward from Arlington, Texas eventually came down to Texas and Cal. Other programs expressed interest in the versatile rising junior, but both the Bears and Longhorns ended up as the front runners.
He took visits to both schools before announcing his choice Sunday to become the seventh transfer addition for Madsen's squad this spring.
In all, the Bears have secured eight scholarship newcomers this spring as they reload the roster heading into the second season under Madsen.
Petraitis is a key piece to the rebuilding process for Cal as he shined through two seasons with the Falcons. He had to work through a shoulder injury early in the season but eventually played in 24 games, with 20 starts, to lead the team with 15.7 points as a sophomore.
He also led Air Force with 6.3 rebounds per game, which includes a team-high 1.9 offensive rebounds, to go along with a team-leading 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals.
The new Cal transfer recorded just the second triple double in Air Force history in a January win over UNLV. Petraitis scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while dishing out 11 assists in the victory.
He scored at least 18 points in 11 games last season highlighted by a 27-point showing against Colorado State late in the season.
Petraitis, whose parents both played basketball at Oregon State, is currently rated as a four-star transfer by Rivals and the No. 148 player in the portal rankings. He is the fourth four-star transfer addition for the Bears this spring alongside Andrej Stojakovic (Stanford | No. 70), BJ Omot (North Dakota | No. 125) and Christian Tucker (UTSA | No. 192).
Stojakovic had been the most notable pickup for Cal this spring after announcing his pledge in favor of the Bears over Kentucky and North Carolina among others on Saturday.
Petraitis' decision to pick Cal over his former home state program certainly could be just as impactful heading into the fall.
The latest addition leaves Cal with a couple more spots to fill as the Bears round out the roster for the 2024-25 season and the team's move to the ACC.