TT Carr Returns To Bears For 2026-27 Season

Semetri “TT” Carr is staying at Cal.

After a whirlwind of sequences — in which Carr initially declared he’d stay in Berkeley, then entered the transfer portal around the time when the Bears acquired Georgia transfer Jordan Ross, then flirted with Stanford and Arizona State — the Mill Valley native will remain with his hometown school.

As a result, Carr secures more depth at guard for fourth-year coach Mark Madsen.

The rising sophomore averaged 16.5 minutes over 32 games as a freshman with 3.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists to show. Carr made just two starts but was routinely available and reliable, particularly as a defender and facilitator.

“I like being a true point guard,” Carr told me of his Cal commitment for the Daily Cal in 2025. “(Madsen) truly believes I can be the type of guy who’s able to run his team and come in and make an immediate impact.”

Carr is a jumpshot away from taking the next step in his career. He shot 25.7 percent from the 3-point line and showed hesitancy on offense during the latter half of the 2025-26 season, which at times made him an odd fit on the floor considering the Bears’ reliance on the long ball.

Perhaps a full offseason in the same program — with the long-desired opportunity to practice in a Cal basketball-designated facility — Carr can make his necessary strides.

Still, after another year of roster transformation in Berkeley, in which Madsen had to replace key guards such as Justin Pippen and Dai Dai Ames, Carr will likely be competing for minutes with Ross, Michael Cooper and Jovani Ruff.

But while Carr may have a way to go before re-earning a comfortable spot in what will be yet another new-and-improved Madsen rotation, he’s in a good spot. Continuing to work toward a degree from the nation’s top public university while pursuing NBA dreams with loved ones nearby is never a bad thing.

“I get to have my parents at every home game,” Carr told me about his Cal commitment for the Daily Cal in 2025. “I mean, (Cal’s) in my backyard, (I’m) able to come home on weekends if need be. It felt like the right thing to do. There was an opportunity here; I liked what they were building.”

It took a while, but Carr sure is staying home.