Loyola Chicago basketball star Cameron Krutwig may not bring back memories of Larry Bird. There aren’t a whole lot of players who can shoot or pass like Larry Legend. Krutwig, however, is making a name for himself during the Ramblers’ March Madness run, and now he and Larry Bird can officially be mentioned in the same sentence.

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RELATED: March Madness Brought Out the Michael Jordan in Sister Jean in 2018

After a very impressive run to the Final Four three years ago, Loyola Chicago is again making NCAA Tournament headlines. The eighth-seeded Ramblers knocked off Georgia Tech in the opening round of the tourney and then shocked top-seeded Illinois. Loyola has its sights set on a return trip to the Final Four and possibly more.

The 2018 Ramblers took everyone by surprise. This year’s group isn’t sneaking up on anyone. They’re still playing their same fundamentally-sound basketball with some tenacity in their defense. The 2021 Loyola team is better than the 2018 version.

Sister Jean is back. The then-98-year-old nun and team chaplain made headlines back in 2018 and she’s still going strong. At 101 years old, Sister Jean remains the team’s biggest fan as the Ramblers inch their way toward a championship.

Who is Loyola star Cameron Krutwig?

Cameron Krutwig is becoming a star on the NCAA’s big stage. He’s a fun-loving, 6-foot-9, harmonica-playing ball of fun who can play basketball. And play it well.

He leads the Loyola Ramblers in rebounds with seven per game and he’s putting up 15 points per contest. He’s a four-year player for the Ramblers and he’s been a vocal leader ever since he was a freshman. “He’ll go down as one of the winningest players in the history of Loyola basketball,” said head coach Porter Moser to The Chicago Tribune.

He may not look like the typical athlete on the floor, but he’s much quicker and than he looks. Krutwig also has the smarts and is one step ahead of his opponent. “He has those sneaky good hands,” Loyola assistant Drew Valentine said. “A lot of people don’t understand how quick his hands are or how quick his feet are. Sometimes it looks like you can get around him, but he’s quicker than you think. His mind is always working ahead.”

Cameron Krutwig and Larry Bird?

Larry Bird was a very rare basketball player. He took his average athletic skills as far as he could with exceptional shooting ability, strong passing skills, and his ability to outthink everyone. Bird played 13 seasons in the NBA with the Boston Celtics, winning three NBA titles and capturing three straight MVPs.

Comparing Loyola’s Cameron Krutwig to Bird might be foolish, but they have something in common. On Jan. 11, Krutwig scored 16 points, had eight rebounds, and a pair of assists. It may seem like a typical game for Krutwig, but in that game, he joined Bird in some elite company. He became one of four men’s basketball players from the Missouri Valley Conference to record 1,500 points, 800 rebounds, and 300 assists in his career.

Krutwig accomplished the feat against Bird’s alma mater, Indiana State. The other two players Krutwig joined weren’t too bad either. Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati) and Hersey Hawkins (Bradley) also are in that elite club.

All stats courtesy of Sports Reference.