Leggett announces return to Pitt for 2024-25

Ishmael Leggett announced his return to the Pitt basketball program via social media on Wednesday afternoon. Leggett, a 6’3” guard, has one more year of eligibility and will use it for a second season with the Panthers. The reigning ACC Sixth Man of the Year joins rising sophomore Jaland Lowe in what should help form one of the more formidable backcourts in the ACC.

Leggett came to Pitt after a successful three-year run at Rhode Island and found his way into the Panthers’ starting lineup immediately. He quickly became one of the team’s most important players and finished the year as the team’s third leading scorer at 12.1 per game, and actually the team’s leading rebounder at 5.5 per contest.

Leggett missed one game with an injury near midseason, which inserted Lowe into the starting lineup. Once Leggett returned to the team, he started coming off the bench, which coincided with the team’s late season surge. He maintained that role and became the best bench player in the conference

Leggett played 18 games as the sixth man and kept his 12.1 scoring average over that stretch. He posted 12 double figure scoring games, while often logging starters’ minutes anyway. He was third in minuter per game on the team this past season behind only Blake Hinson and Bub Carrington.

The return of Leggett gives Pitt would could be a very potent backcourt. He and Lowe played alongside one another when Pitt went to three-guard lineups, so there is a chemistry there in place. Of course, the key for Jeff Capel will be finding a replacement for Carrington in the transfer portal to play alongside the returning pair.

Given that both Leggett and Lowe announced returns, it would have to be assumed some other Pitt players will follow similar protocol. The Panthers can return key players like Zack Austin, Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham, as well as redshirt freshman Papa Amadou Kante and Marlon Barnes, though formal announcements have yet to be made.

Pitt is also set to welcome in a pair of 2024 recruits in Brandin Cummings and Andy Ndiaye. If everyone does indeed return, that leaves Pitt with four spots to fill before the start of next season.

That front is expected to pick up soon, as Pitt is set to host its first transfer portal official visitor, Cam Corhen, a 6’10” player who played for Florida State this past season. While those effors are still unsettled, Pitt can at least count on a strong foundation in its backcourt.