Lithuanian guard joins Pitt basketball with chip on shoulder after transfer from Iowa State

For Nojus Indrusaitis, it’s a chance to become a star player on a team that desperately needs some. For Pitt basketball and coach Jeff Capel, it is the hope that the players who have been brought in can change the narrative.

“I get a vibe of everyone having a chip on their shoulder,” Indrusaitis said. “Everyone’s coming from a place where maybe they didn’t get the opportunities that they deserve, and I feel like everyone’s trying to play with that edge.

“I’ve had that (edge) my whole life.”

Indrusaitis transferred to Pitt in early April, a few weeks after his former team at Iowa State lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

At the time, Capel said he was impressed with the 6-foot-5 Indrusaitis’ shooting stroke, playmaking ability, basketball IQ and accomplishments at the high school and international level. He said Indrusaitis could play either guard position.

As a freshman last season with the Cyclones, Indrusaitis didn’t play much, averaging 2.1 points on 33.3% shooting from the field. He played an average of 5.8 minutes.

He isn’t the only Cyclone to transfer to the Panthers, as teammate Dishon Jackson also came with him. Jackson was the first option off the bench for coach TJ Otzelberger, averaging 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds.

Both hope to make an instant impact on a revamped team.

“I learned a lot about myself and how to get better,” Indrusaitis said of Iowa State. “College is a new experience for everyone, so that year was really helpful.”

The Chicago native transferred to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire during the recruiting process. He only played his senior season there, but he won the Gatorade player of the year award for New Hampshire.

He led his team to a 27-7 record while averaging 14.5 points. Before that, he played at St. Rita and Lemont high schools in Illinois.

Indrusaitis has been used to transferring since he was in high school, so this new experience at Pitt will be another stop in his basketball journey.

Along with his high school experience, he played for the Lithuanian national U-18 team.

“I play for the national team every summer,” Indrusaitis said. “It’s a really great experience playing against different cultures, different styles of basketball and just seeing places around the world that usually other people don’t get to see.”

Indrusaitis and Jackson join Barry Dunning Jr. (South Alabama) and Demarco Minor (Oregon State) as Pitt’s transfer portal additions for next season.

Last season did not end well for Pitt. The Panthers finished 17-15 (8-12), missing out on the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.

Coincidentally, one of the team’s two NCAA Tournament wins in March 2023 came against Iowa State, although neither Jackson or Indrusaitis were members of the team then.