Chukwuka returns
Kene Chukwuka has opted to remain with the Pitt basketball program for the 2018-19 season, he announced on Twitter Thursday morning.
Chukwuka will have junior eligibility this year and should push for playing time in Pitt’s inexperienced front court.
With his decision to return, Chukwuka is the sixth player to remain with the program after nine requested releases upon the firing of former head coach Kevin Stallings. Ultimately, only three players chose to transfer in the whirlwind offseason: Ryan Luther went to Arizona as a graduate transfer; Parker Stewart transferred to Tennessee-Martin, where his father is head coach; and Marcus Carr transferred to Minnesota.
Two players chose to stay with Pitt all along in Peace Ilegomah and Samson George, while Terrell Brown, Khameron Davis, Shamiel Stevenson, Jared Wilson-Frame and Malik Ellison had requested releases but decided not to transfer.
Chukwuka was the final player off of last year’s team to make a final decision on where to play next season.
Chukwuku appeared in 31 of Pitt’s 32 games last season and averaged 2.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per contest. His best game of the season came in the annual City Game against Duquesne, when he scored a career-high nine points, and pulled down four rebounds in a win over the Dukes.
Chukwuka averaged 17 minutes per game and shot 35% from the floor on the season and made 9-of-47 from behind the arc as well.
The native of Sweden came to Pitt by way of New Mexico Junior College. He was a late find by Kevin Stallings’ staff and committed to the program in August of 2017, just before the start of the fall semester. He chose Pitt over offers from mostly mid-major programs.
Chukwuka is listed at 6’9” and 215 pounds, and he is one of four forwards on Pitt's current 2018-19 roster who have playing experience along with Brown, Ilegomah and Stevenson.
Pitt now has 11 players on the roster for this upcoming season, giving Jeff Capel two more spots available. It remains to be seen how he will use those spots. He could look to add another graduate transfer (he landed one last weekend in New Mexico State guard Sidy N'Dir). He could try to find a regular transfer who would have to sit out this season. Or he could get a high school prospect who is currently in the 2019 class to reclassify to 2018.