Ryan Betley Will Not Return For Cal in 2021-22

Cal already announced the return of Grant Anticevich and Makale Foreman for super senior seasons, but they will not be joined by Ryan Betley. The graduate transfer guard told GoldenBearReport's Ben Parker that he will not be playing college basketball next season.

A transfer from Penn and a graduate of the Wharton School of Business, Betley will leave Cal with a graduate credential in entrepreneurship. Over his sole season in Berkeley, Betley was one of only three Bears to play in every game (along with Andre Kelly and Makale Foreman). Betley started 23 of the 29 games, averaging 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds & 1.2 assists in 27.3 minutes per game. He made 52 3-pointers (good for 7th in the Pac-12) at a 32% clip, and finished his college career having eclipsed the 1000 point mark (done in a December win over USF).

Betley had his best performances at Cal early in the season, with his season high of 19 coming against Cal State Northridge. He struggled somewhat in conference play, shooting 27% from beyond the arc, but his three-pointer off a Matt Bradley assist put the Bears ahead 55-51, starting a 24-7 run in their Pac-12 Tournament win over Stanford.

With Betley set to depart and Matt Bradley in the transfer portal, Cal will look to a combination of experience and youth on the wings to fill out their rotation. Foreman and Jalen Celestine played those spots toward the end of the year, with Kuany Kuany playing at the 3 or 4 spot. Monty Bowser, who dealt with a bruised lung after a fall early in the season against Arizona State, could see more time there, along with Dimitrios Klonaras. Marsalis Roberson, Bowser's high school teammate, should come in to take minutes at the position as well.

Betley's departure does not affect Cal's scholarship number, as he wouldn't have counted against the 13 scholarship limit due to an NCAA ruling. Currently, Cal has one more scholarship slot open for the 2021-22 season, one they would likely use on a player out of the transfer portal.