Pitt sophomore Abdoul Karim Coulibaly will transfer; 4th team member to leave in past month

Pitt coach Jeff Capel’s roster reclamation job became bigger and more important Wednesday when sophomore forward Abdoul Karim Coulibaly, who provided a presence in the paint, entered the NCAA transfer portal, according to university officials.

Coulibaly started 20 of 22 games this season. He is the third member of Pitt’s four-man 2019 recruiting class to announce intentions to transfer. Previously, guard/forward Gerald Drumgoole Jr. left the team. Shooting guard Ryan Murphy did not return after 2019-2020 and played this season at Duquesne.

All three members of Capel’s first class of 2018 also are gone. Trey McGowens started for Nebraska this season, and Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney played most of this season at Pitt before leaving on consecutive days last month (Feb. 24 and 25).

Overall, six of the seven players from Capel’s first two recruiting classes no longer are with the program. Sophomore Justin Champagnie (2019) said Tuesday he will look into the 2021 NBA Draft process while leaving open his possible return to Pitt for his junior year.

“It’s tough,” Capel said days after Johnson and Toney left. “Sometimes, when situations like this happen, it can be a gut punch, but you have to move on. That’s the bottom line. You have to move onto the next thing, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Pitt is not alone in dealing with multiple transfers. The NCAA reports that 40% of all men’s basketball players who enter Division I directly out of high school end up leaving their initial school by the end of their sophomore year. For example, Duquesne was Murphy’s fourth school.

The NCAA even has a transfer information page on its website.

800+ names now listed. On this date last year, 439 names were listed. Updated daily: https://t.co/W6kA0jVQN2 https://t.co/6amJdGY93E

— Verbal Commits (@VerbalCommits) March 24, 2021

With only eight players on scholarship, Capel has six available this offseason. Senior guard Nike Sibande, who will return for the extra year of eligibility allowed by the NCAA because of the pandemic, does not count against the total.

Freshman John Hugley, who is one of the eight, was suspended after seven games, and his future with the team is unclear.

Coulibaly (6-foot-8, 215 pounds) was fourth on the team in rebounds (3.9 per game), seventh in scoring (5.2 points) while finishing second with 19 blocks this season. He had the best shooting percentage among regulars (51.1%, 46 of 90), but went to the free-throw line only 29 times, with 20 makes (69%).

He concludes his Pitt career with 184 points, 130 rebounds and 23 blocked shots in 48 games (20 starts).

“We appreciate Karim’s time and efforts here with our program and wish him luck as he looks to continue his career elsewhere,” Capel said in a statement.

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