Pitt's John Hugley hopes to turn his back on the past while resuming basketball career

The first thought that comes to mind when you see John Hugley is this:

Living with mom’s home cooking for much of the past 10 months did Pitt’s big sophomore forward some good. He is now listed at 6-foot-9, 280 pounds, 40 over his weight as a freshman last year.

But he believes there is so much more to his character and personality — things beyond basketball — that Hugley hopes to show people, both on and off the court.

On the eve of Pitt’s 2021-22 season — it starts Monday with an exhibition game against Division II Gannon — Hugley is eager to erase the sour memories of last season and resume his collegiate career unfettered by poor decisions of his past.

After playing in seven games, he was suspended in January after being charged with criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen property. Police said he took a woman’s car from Central Oakland in July 2020.

Prosecutors withdrew those felony counts in May and replaced them with misdemeanor charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and driving without a license. That set the stage for his reinstatement to the team by coach Jeff Capel and a resumption of what had looked like a promising collegiate career.

“I’m much more in shape, much more disciplined than last year,” Hugley said.

He has made other changes, too.

“Last year, that made me stronger, actually,” he said, not strictly talking about his physicality. “More accountable for my actions. Basically, making smarter decisions, watching the company you keep.”

The best company is likely his teammates. He is eager to join graduate student Mouhamadou Gueye, a 6-10, 200-pound transfer from Stony Brook, and helping him patrol the paint.

“Mo is more finesse. I’m a power guy, but I can bring the finesse, too,” he said. “It’s going to be a matchup nightmare down there with me and Mo. He has that long wing span. I just wall people up. It’s going to be scary.”

To that end, he has started arriving at Petersen Events Center at 7:50 in the morning, motivated by senior guard Jamarius Burton, a transfer from Texas Tech.

“Having Jamarius around is a great thing, him being that vocal leader,” Hugley said. “I never played with a teammate like that, talk the whole practice, teaching us.

“He’s one of the reasons every morning I come in and get extra work. I got that from him, basically training like a pro. If you want to be a pro, you have to train like a pro.”

Hugley said he was never far from the team last season after he was suspended and forced to work out on his own.

“Even though I wasn’t here, I still feel like I was here,” he said. “Every day I was texting the guys. Me and coach Capel would rap it up almost every day. I was attacking those books, staying in shape.”

He said he split time between Pitt’s campus and his home in Cleveland, where he sought counsel from family and his coach at Brush High School, former NBA player Chet Mason.

“When I went home, it was nothing but straight grind mode,” he said, “attacking the weight room, talking with (Mason). Me, by myself, doing pushups, doing situps, doing stuff to keep me motivated.”

Then, after the charges were dropped, Hugley said Capel and athletic director Heather Lyke allowed him to rejoin the team.

“Coach Capel, he kept his word. He made sure he was there for me. He never turned his back on me,” he said.

Hugley said he watched every game while his frustration grew. “It was tough watching them knowing I should be out there helping them,” he said.

He had a brief thought of transferring, but it didn’t last long, he said.

“Why would I give up on them and they didn’t give up on me? It was all love.”

He told himself, “I’m going to come back here and be with my brothers.”