DAYTON, Ohio -- Pitt forward John Hugley IV will enter the transfer portal and seek a new school to play his final three seasons of eligibility.
Hugley spent three seasons at Pitt and was the Panthers' leading scorer (14.8 points per game) and rebounder (7.9 rebounds per game) last season, and was a key figure as a centerpiece for Jeff Capel's roster overhaul from last offseason. A preseason knee sprain, however, limited him to just eight games this season before he left the team in January to focus on rehabilitation and work through personal, mental-health matters.
Gods plan🙏🏾
— John Hugley IV (@thejohnhugley) March 14, 2023
Hugley's transferring comes in light of the Panthers' return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. Pitt is set to tip off against Mississippi State in the First Four round at UD Arena at 9:10 p.m. Tuesday. Hugley last played Dec 10 and was officially ruled out for the season Jan. 14, as he removed himself from the program and went home to Cleveland.
Hugley issued his farewell to Pitt on Instagram:
Via @TiptonEdits and @thejohnhugley on Instagram. #Pitt pic.twitter.com/ATwHHgsEER
— Corey Crisan (@cdcrisan) March 14, 2023
Hugley sought a redshirt this season, which would push his years of eligibility remaining from two up to three. He will have immediate eligibility at his next school as this is his first time transferring.
He had been working out at high school alma mater, Brush, in Cleveland alongside coach Chet Mason, who has posted clips to Twitter of a slimmed-down Hugley throughout the winter.
The most-recent clip of Hugley posted by Mason came Wednesday. Note the context of the tweet followed by the tagging of national college basketball reporters Jon Rothstein and Jeff Goodman:
My little brother is now feeling good mentally and physically @thejohnhugley ❤️💪🏾💪🏾
— chet mason (@ChetMason32) March 9, 2023
was considered a top 10 big in college basketball before the minor setback @JonRothstein @GoodmanHoops pic.twitter.com/Cm188ybzKD
So, perhaps some speculation as to whether this was a video to showcase Hugley's progress, but nonetheless, Hugley was expected to return to Pitt next season and re-establish as a core piece for a team which is losing Nelly Cummings, Greg Elliott, Jamarius Burton, and Nike Sibande to graduation.
When Pitt and Hugley jointly announced in January he would be sitting out the remainder of the season, Capel issued the following statement:
“We are here to support John as he continues to learn to manage challenges in his personal life. John has worked hard to get to this point and should be applauded for seeking out the help to continue to grow as a young man. This next step will allow him the time and space to focus on his personal growth. We are here to provide love and support for him on this journey that will undoubtedly help him throughout his life.”
The logical basketball-based explanation to Hugley's departure would be the emergences of Federiko Federiko, Blake Hinson, and Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham in the Panthers' frontcourt, thus potentially pushing Hugley into a reserve role by the time next season begins.
Hinson was a second-team All-ACC pick. His 16.1 points per game were 10th in the ACC, and his 6.3 rebounds per game were 11th during the regular season. He was fourth in the ACC in 3-point shooting by making 38.6% from deep, and his 88 made 3s tied for first in the ACC during the regular season.
Panthers associate head coach Tim O'Toole told me Monday at Pitt's First Four media availability he was impressed with how Federiko and the Diaz Graham twins rapidly progressed without Hugley's presence:
"It's amazing. It really is," O'Toole said. "John's personality is so dominant. When you miss him, all of the sudden, what's going to happen? They've picked up the slack in a big way, and Blake is a forward, but he's more of a guard because he can shoot it, but his energy alone always lifts everyone and those three guys. It's been amazing. It really has been, because they've gravitated to it, their attitudes are spectacular, and even to this day or yesterday -- we're not sure if we're playing in this or not -- their attitudes in practice was s good as it was in the first day, which is rare. But it shows you a little bit about their mindset, and I think that's kind of why they've all been able to adjust well, especially since John hasn't been here."
Federiko emerged throughout the season and earned votes for the ACC's Most Improved Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards. The Diaz Graham twins, while still developing as true freshmen, have earned more minutes throughout the final stretch of the regular season and into the ACC Tournament.
