Ellison to transfer

[Chris Peak]

Press release:

University of Pittsburgh guard Malik Ellison is expected to graduate this spring and transfer, school officials announced Wednesday afternoon.

“We appreciate Malik’s efforts with our program this past season and wish him luck as he looks to continue his playing career elsewhere,” said head coach Jeff Capel.

Ellison averaged 5.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game in 31 contests (16 starts) for the Panthers. He scored in double figures five times with a season-high 15 points in an early season win over North Alabama. The Voorhees, N.J., native began his collegiate career at St. John’s and has one year of eligibility remaining.

Pitt is expected to return four starters from last season, including double-figure scorers Xavier Johnson (15.5 ppg., 4.5 apg.) and Trey McGowens (11.6 ppg., 64 steals).

Johnson earned All-ACC Freshman Team honors, while setting Pitt freshman records for scoring, double-figure scoring games, games with 15 or more points scored, 20+ point scoring games, free throws made, free throw attempts and field goal attempts. He was the only player in the ACC to average at least 15.5 points and 4.5 assists per game during the 2018-19 season.

McGowens scored in double figures 17 times and set a Pitt freshman record with 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting in a Jan. 9 overtime win over Louisville. The Pendleton, S.C., native also had 30 points, while going 18-of-19 from the foul line in a 75-62 win over then 11th-ranked Florida State Jan. 14.

The Panthers can also return Au'Diese Toney (7.5 ppg., 5.6 rpg.), Terrell Brown (5.7 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 60 blocks) and Kene Chukwuka (3.9 ppg., .534 fg pct.), who each started 16 or more games this past season.

 

[ScrantonicityIII]

Bouncing from bottom feeder to bottom feeder.

 

[DiehardPanther]

Best of luck to him.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

Capel must have some idea of who’s coming or is just supremely confident he’ll get some guys. I’m not bellyaching over any of these guys leaving - I think it’s good long term as they’re just not good enough. So the next few weeks should be interesting.

 

[Ronnyp91]

When’s the April signing period?

 

[pittizit]

Capel must have some idea of who’s coming or is just supremely confident he’ll get some guys. I’m not bellyaching over any of these guys leaving - I think it’s good long term as they’re just not good enough. So the next few weeks should be interesting.

U better hope as for right now we can’t field a scrimmage

 

[goalieman]

When’s the April signing period?

Regular signing period = 4/17/19 through 5/15/19.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

wow

 

[jrnPitt]

U better hope as for right now we can’t field a scrimmage

We will be looking for campus walk ons for next season if all these previous visits chose to go elsewhere.

 

[gary2]

Press release:

University of Pittsburgh guard Malik Ellison is expected to graduate this spring and transfer, school officials announced Wednesday afternoon.

“We appreciate Malik’s efforts with our program this past season and wish him luck as he looks to continue his playing career elsewhere,” said head coach Jeff Capel.

Ellison averaged 5.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game in 31 contests (16 starts) for the Panthers. He scored in double figures five times with a season-high 15 points in an early season win over North Alabama. The Voorhees, N.J., native began his collegiate career at St. John’s and has one year of eligibility remaining.

Pitt is expected to return four starters from last season, including double-figure scorers Xavier Johnson (15.5 ppg., 4.5 apg.) and Trey McGowens (11.6 ppg., 64 steals).

Johnson earned All-ACC Freshman Team honors, while setting Pitt freshman records for scoring, double-figure scoring games, games with 15 or more points scored, 20+ point scoring games, free throws made, free throw attempts and field goal attempts. He was the only player in the ACC to average at least 15.5 points and 4.5 assists per game during the 2018-19 season.

McGowens scored in double figures 17 times and set a Pitt freshman record with 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting in a Jan. 9 overtime win over Louisville. The Pendleton, S.C., native also had 30 points, while going 18-of-19 from the foul line in a 75-62 win over then 11th-ranked Florida State Jan. 14.

The Panthers can also return Au'Diese Toney (7.5 ppg., 5.6 rpg.), Terrell Brown (5.7 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 60 blocks) and Kene Chukwuka (3.9 ppg., .534 fg pct.), who each started 16 or more games this past season.

The Kham departure and this tells me we have players we are very confident we will sign.

 

[Pitt1992]

there is a ton of talent available and some more 2020 kids could be reclassifying so it not panic mode

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

U better hope as for right now we can’t field a scrimmage

We will be looking for campus walk ons for next season if all these previous visits chose to go elsewhere.

Trust me as I was writing it I was thinking of the time (I think I remember this right) they basically had to do that under Willard. Wasn’t there something in the Pitt News that they needed bodies for practice?

 

[pittizit]

there is a ton of talent available and some more 2020 kids could be reclassifying so it not panic mode

Yet...

 

[Drew1208]

Everyday it keeps getting better. And to anyone worried about players, this just started. There are going to be good players bouncing around from every angle. Chill out.

 

[DT_PITT]

I'm grateful for Malik's effort. That cannot be questioned. But I'm guessing that he's on track to graduate and he can move somewhere where he can make a bigger impact.

 

[joeydavid]

During the 2nd half of the ACC season I said I could see Capel bringing in 7 new players for next season.

Other than the freshmen they are all expendable.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Everyday it keeps getting better. And to anyone worried about players, this just started. There are going to be good players bouncing around from every angle. Chill out.

Yeah, more and more Capel appears to be an expert at this part of it all.

 

[dukedevilz]

Thought he'd have a little more production this year - maybe 8-10 ppg. At least I didn't completely overestimate him like Parker Stewart.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

wow

How are you surprised? I have been saying since December that he will probably transfer. He was by far the most likely. I was going to post something over the weekend that I cant believe nobody transferred yet. Dont be surprised if Brown transfers as well.

I like Ellison. He is a decent bench player but that's all he is.

We have 8 guys right now who are going to play most of the minutes. Just not enough PT for the others

Johnson
McGowens
Ndir
Toney
Brown
Drumgoole
Champagnie
Coulibaly

 

[Black Panther]

Trust me as I was writing it I was thinking of the time (I think I remember this right) they basically had to do that under Willard. Wasn’t there something in the Pitt News that they needed bodies for practice?

They dressed a couple of team student managers.One happened to be Oliver Antiqua,Orlando's brother.Dont know if they even have such a thing anymore.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

Parker Stewart isn't exactly known for his basketball IQ. Or defense and athleticism either.

 

[below0w]

I respect the fact that he was willing to move around a bit and try to find a role that fit, unfortunately he failed miserably in doing so. Maybe if he didn't have a historically awful season in terms of shooting, things would have worked out better.

 

[AlFromDadeville]

I'm grateful for Malik's effort. That cannot be questioned. But I'm guessing that he's on track to graduate and he can move somewhere where he can make a bigger impact.

Perhaps as a bartender at Primanti’s.

 

[dukedevilz]

Parker Stewart isn't exactly known for his basketball IQ. Or defense and athleticism either.

Eh. I just thought it was a little funny in hindsight. I took at as Ellison was clearly the best practice player on the 2018 team... Guess that shows how far this team has come in a year (or that ME regressed for whatever reason). But yes, his prediction was way, way off. I mean, if Ellison had those averages, he'd likely be 1st Team All-ACC.

 

[below0w]

Eh. I just thought it was a little funny in hindsight. I took at as Ellison was clearly the best practice player on the 2018 team... Guess that shows how far this team has come in a year (or that ME regressed for whatever reason). But yes, his prediction was way, way off. I mean, if Ellison had those averages, he'd likely be 1st Team All-ACC.

If Ellison put up those numbers as a junior in the ACC, then you're looking at him as an NBA prospect. 19-8-5 average? That's RJ Barrett territory.

 

[88Pitt88]

I am hoping that Capel has Earl Timberlake lined up as a replacement for Kham. The more guys that transfer the more I think Timberlake is here and ready to go next season!

 

[thebadby2]

U better hope as for right now we can’t field a scrimmage

yeah, we need some live bodies. This is no way to live.

 

[paulbl99]

Capel must have some idea of who’s coming or is just supremely confident he’ll get some guys. I’m not bellyaching over any of these guys leaving - I think it’s good long term as they’re just not good enough. So the next few weeks should be interesting.

He can’t stop it can he ....

Pitt BB is in a hole which may be getting deeper. This renewal if possible will take at least 4 maybe 5 yrs.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

They dressed a couple of team student managers.One happened to be Oliver Antiqua,Orlando's brother.Dont know if they even have such a thing anymore.

Ok thanks yea I remembered one was Oliver. Didn’t recall the rest.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

He can’t stop it can he ....

Pitt BB is in a hole which may be getting deeper. This renewal if possible will take at least 4 maybe 5 yrs.

No. He can’t stop it. But it’s my opinion he didn’t want to stop it. In some cases I would imagaine he encouraged it. I think he has his eyes on better players. I of course could be wrong. Time will tell.

 

[DT_PITT]

Perhaps as a bartender at Primanti’s.

Umm ... no reason to be a hater!!

He’d do just fine at a mid major school.

 

[thebadby2]

Parker Stewart isn't exactly known for his basketball IQ. Or defense and athleticism either.

Tell us about his lack of basketball IQ. I'd like to hear your expert evaluation of how the son of a head college coach lacks understanding of the game based on what you saw of him in his true freshman year at Pitt. Please be specific.

 

[below0w]

Tell us about his lack of basketball IQ. I'd like to hear your expert evaluation of how the son of a head college coach lacks understanding of the game based on what you saw of him in his true freshman year at Pitt. Please be specific.

More to the point, a kid who isn't an ACC calibre athlete yet did reasonably well as a freshman is not the guy you want to call out for having low basketball IQ. I don't like PS' game and don't miss him, but attacking his basketball IQ is a really weird angle to take given that it's his best quality.

 

[Chescat]

A lot of speculation on this board. What we know for sure, is what we
don't know. We don't really know how much if any Capel has done
regarding encouraging these last few transfers to leave. Personally
I would have liked to see Davis and Ellison remain for the intangibles
I think they bring to the team.....work ethic, leadership, maturity, buying
into Capel's coaching, etc. Capel may see it differently and encouraged
them to leave. On that point, we don't know...we can only guess.

Both of them were getting reduced minutes and their productivity on the
floor wasn't all that much. They worked their asses off, hustled, and were
positive in that regard, but the productivity was marginal.
I liked them and wish them both well. I'm not at all upset by the thin
numbers at this point because I feel good about Capel and want to see
what players he brings in to replace them.
By the way....who's next??....George?...anyone else?

 

[sonofabit]

Nice to think Pitt can go to the portal tree and give it a shake but this will be Pitt's future as well. Angst and anxiety coming to you all. If you ask me, Toney has already been recruited over and I don't mean rankings. The fabulous trio may someday all be recruited over. It's a fact of college basketball life, you know.

 

[PittMan2003]

Disappointing. I liked Ellison and having only year of eligibility wasn’t crippling to the program. He helped us this year even though his numbers weren’t flashy.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

I'm grateful for Malik's effort. That cannot be questioned. But I'm guessing that he's on track to graduate and he can move somewhere where he can make a bigger impact.

Another team can use his turnovers.


Seriously- good luck to him. He played a role and gave players a breather

 

[Pitt1992]

Toney hasn’t been recruited over,he’s been very good,he’s young and learning,Pitts needs a lot of size

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I don't like PS' game and don't miss him, but attacking his basketball IQ is a really weird angle to take given that it's his best quality.

I think it's pretty clear that I didn't think much of his game either, but I don't get how anyone could think he was a low IQ player.

 

[Pitt69]

Another team can use his turnovers.


Seriously- good luck to him. He played a role and gave players a breather

From the Cheap Seats; gave it all he had, but was recruited over by the Redmen, and just didn't have the offensive game that Pitt needed from him. Best wishes to him down the road. I now see a class of six for Pitt this years. Two more bigs and a shooting guard. But until it happens, we shall see.