2020 guard Femi Odukale commits to Pitt

Femi Odukale, the three-star Class of 2020 combo guard out of Springfield Commonwealth Academy, Massachusetts, announced his commitment to Pitt Tuesday afternoon.

The 6-foot-5, 180-pound Odukale also held offers from Massachusetts, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech and Washington State. With his height and length — including a 6-foot-11 wingspan — Odukale boasts the ability to play positions 1-3.

As a first-year player for head coach Jeff Capel in the 2020-21 season, Odukale should provide much-needed backcourt depth for a team that desperately needs it. With junior guard Ryan Murphy leaving the team, the Panthers return only two guards off the bench — struggling first-year Gerald Drumgoole Jr. and little-used sophomore Onyebuchi Ezeakudo. Odukale’s arrival, along with transfer Ithiel Horton’s return to game action, will help alleviate the massive workload that Pitt guards Xavier Johnson and Trey McGowens often had to handle last season.

Pitt hopes that Odukale, who hails from Brooklyn, continues the team’s positive pipeline from that esteemed basketball neighborhood. This past season, first-year forward and Brooklyn native Justin Champagnie surpassed expectations by leading Pitt in points (12.7) and rebounds (7.0).

Odukale will join a 2020 Pitt recruiting class that includes four-star center John Hugley, three-star forward Noah Collier and three-star center Max Amadasun. Capel currently has one remaining scholarship to offer for the upcoming season.