Pitt Basketball All 14: Nike Sibande

Leading up to Pitt basketball’s first game of the season on Nov. 7, Pittsburgh Sports Now will release profiles of each player on the active roster, including the walk-ons. 

We continue our All-14 series with the second-leading scorer from Wednesday night’s exhibition game, Nike Sibande.

NIKE SIBANDE

Hometown: Indianapolis, IN

Height, Weight: 6’4, 185 LBS

Position: Guard

Number: 22

Year: Redshirt Senior

Previous year: Sibande tore his ACL a little more than one year ago, forcing him to miss the entire 2021-22 season and instead focus on rehabbing his knee. Pitt updated his rehab throughout the season with social media content, hinting that SIbande was in the process of healing. On Jan. 27, on the Jeff Capel Radio Show, Sibande announced that he would be returning to Pitt for another season.

The storyline: Coming off of a torn ACL and producing game-changing numbers is certainly a tall task, but Sibande looks as though he is ready to take on the challenge. A shot-creator with a consistent three-point stroke, Sibande will certainly give this offense a new look alongside attacking guard Jamarius Burton, set-up man Nelly Cummings, powerful big John Hugley, and the rest of the team’s shooters. In Pitt’s exhibition win over Edinboro, Sibande pulled up and confidently hit two threes, converted a transition layup through contact, and looked like his normal self again.

His final stat line was impressive: 14 points, 5-7 FG, 2-4 3FG, 4 rebounds, 1 assist.

IN HIS OWN WORDS

Check out Sibande’s first press conference appearance of the year from after Wednesday’s exhibition win:

HIGHLIGHTS: