Now that the NCAA Transfer Portal is in full swing, Pitt men’s basketball has the opportunity to recruit players out of it, looking for better results than last season. With five former Pitt players in the portal already, the team will have to go through a complete refresh come next season.
The Panthers must scour the portal for many players to fill out their roster after landing just one recruit for the coming class — four-star guard Omari Witherspoon — and having only four scholarship players other than him for the coming year.
Here are some realistic options for Pitt men’s basketball’s roster next season.
Amarion Dickerson, Robert Morris
Senior forward Amarion Dickerson entered the transfer portal out of Robert Morris following its elimination from March Madness, beginning a mass exodus from a team that had surprising levels of success this past season.
The 2024-25 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year set a Robert Morris record with 82 blocks on the season. He also averaged 5.9 rebounds per game and 13.3 points per game.
Dickerson could project as a decent replacement for the game that outgoing forward Zack Austin brought to the team, and the move from Moon Township to Oakland is not too hard. Pitt is among many schools named as having contacted Dickerson in the portal so far.
Malachi Smith, Dayton
Pitt landed on the interest list for redshirt junior guard Malachi Smith recently, adding the possibility of another guard from the mid-major ranks to join the team. Such players in previous years have included Nelly Cummings and Nike Sibande, both of whom seamlessly transitioned into their roles with Pitt following good seasons at Colgate and Miami (Ohio), respectively.
Smith led Dayton in total assists with 174, averaging 5.3 assists per game. Smith did well playing up to competition, notching his career high 22 points last season in a game against Iowa State, a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Yaxel Lendeborg, Alabama-Birmingham
Yaxel Lendeborg took the college basketball social media world by storm this season, captivating fans with his dynamic play at UAB. Lendeborg averaged 17.7 points per game with UAB this season, shooting above 35% from beyond the arc and 52.2% overall.
His 11.4 rebounds per game ranked No. 3 in the country, and his 420 total rebounds rank No. 2. Lendeborg is garnering attention from schools like Auburn and Kentucky, and he is receiving NBA looks. This would make it tough for Pitt to land him, but not impossible.
John Hugley, Xavier
Who doesn’t love a good reunion story? In an offseason where Pitt is in the market for an imposing big man, former Pitt men’s basketball player forward John Hugley could play a part in filling that role.
Pitt has sought out Hugley’s build ever since he transferred out of the program in 2023, making it a possibility that the Panthers would have an opening for him this offseason. His journey brought him to Oklahoma and Xavier since leaving Pittsburgh, and a return to the Steel City could benefit both parties immensely.