Redshirt junior wing Malik Ellison will transfer from Pitt, men’s basketball coach Jeff Capel announced on Wednesday.
Ellison, who was the team’s captain this past season, played in 31 games and averaged 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
“We appreciate Malik’s efforts with our program this past season and wish him luck as he looks to continue his playing career elsewhere,” Capel said in a press release.
The 6-foot-6 guard will graduate and have a free transfer with one season of eligibility remaining.
Ellison played just one season at Pitt, as he sat out the 2017-18 season due to NCAA transfer rules. He came to Pitt in 2017 after spending his first two seasons at St. John’s.
After the firing of Kevin Stallings and the hiring of Capel in 2018, Ellison was the last Pitt player to announce his intention to return.
While he was sitting out, the former coaching staff frequently touted Ellison as a potential difference-maker, but his offensive numbers at Pitt were down significantly from his time with the Red Storm.
Ellison’s points per game dropped from 7.4 to 5.8, his field goal percentage dropped from 48.2 to 47.5 and his 3-point field goal percentage tumbled from 34.1 to 18.8.
A native of Vorhees, New Jersey, Ellison attended Life Center Academy High School in Burlington, New Jersey. He is the son of former Louisville and NBA center Pervis Ellison.
Ellison is the second player to leave Pitt since the end of the 2018-19 season, joining guard Khameron Davis. Forwards Peace Illegomah and Shamiel Stevenson left the team at the mid-year break.
With two graduations and one scholarship open at the beginning of the season, Capel now has seven slots to fill in his 2019 recruiting class. He has already gotten commitments from forward Karim Coulibaly and guards Justin Champagnie and Gerald Drumgoole.
Good luck, Malik. Thank you for your efforts.
Played with heart and great effort but one of the ugliest shots I’ve seen. Good guy but just not ACC caliber.
Harsh but true Tim
This is the best news I’ve read in quite some time. So thankful this didn’t come out on April 1st so we know it’s not a joke. He was, quite possibly, the worst player we’ve had in the past 15-20 years.