Jeff Capel has added a veteran piece to his young Pitt backcourt with the commitment of 6-foot-3 Rhode Island transfer Ishmael Leggett, who announced his intention Monday to join the Panthers for his redshirt junior season.
LETS GET TO IT!π #A4D pic.twitter.com/UHyD4JzSYa
β Ishmael Leggett (@great8ish) April 17, 2023
πππ pic.twitter.com/Dsiga9b9WI
β Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) April 17, 2023
Leggett's commitment comes five days after Capel landed High Point transfer forward Zack Austin from the transfer portal. Capel now has two open scholarships remaining with Nate Santos and John Hugley IV still in the portal.
Leggett averaged 16.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while playing 34.5 minutes per game and starting all 31 games for Rhode Island last season.
A former three-star recruit out of Prince George's County, Md., Leggett held nine offers out of high school, including from ACC rivals Syracuse and Virginia.
Leggett scored in double figures in 28 of 31 games and scored 20 or more points nine times last season. He scored 30 or more points twice, including a career-high 34 points on 13 of 19 shooting and 7 of 10 3-pointers Nov. 22 against Tulane. He finished seventh in the Atlantic 10 in scoring and knocked down 84.5% of his free throws, fifth-best in the conference. He averaged 16.9 points against Atlantic 10 opponents.
He made 10 or more free throws in six games last season. In those six games, Leggett converted 66 of 75 (88%) from the line.
Leggett -- much like Austin does -- gives Capel an instant plug-and-play option in his starting rotation. He joins as the veteran presence in the guards room alongside redshirt freshman Dior Johnson and true freshmen Jaland Lowe and Carlton Carrington.
With two scholarships remaining, Capel has four backcourt members to go with seven in his frontcourt: Austin, true freshman Marlon Barnes, Will Jeffress, Blake Hinson, Federiko Federiko, Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham. Capel also has walk-on guard KJ Marshall and forward Vason Stevenson on his roster.
