Ellison hasn't provided a timetable for his decision
Junior guard Malik Ellison spoke with Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sunday and revealed that a decision had not yet been reached on whether he would remain at Pitt moving forward or transfer out of the program.
Just talked to Pitt guard Malik Ellison and his dad, Pervis. They said they’re still undecided on whether Malik will stay at Pitt next season. Hearing from other schools, and no timetable for a decision at this point.
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) April 22, 2018
Ellison was one of nine Pitt players to request their release from the program shortly after the firing of former head coach Kevin Stallings in March. Over a month later, Ellison and Kene Chukwuka are Pitt’s last remaining holdouts.
Prior to transferring to Pitt in 2017, Ellison was a three-star recruit out of Voorhees, New Jersey, who spent two years playing at St. John’s. During his time with the Red Storm, he averaged 7.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game over an average of 23.3 minutes in 35 starts.
During his brief tenure as Pitt’s head coach, Stallings often said Ellison was one of the team’s top performers in practice, suggesting there’s much to look forward to if he ever takes the court as a Panther. Given the remainder of the team’s relative inexperience, it’s also likely Ellison could provide Pitt with some much-needed leadership.
Ellison discussed the importance of experience and leadership in a February interview with Pittsburgh Sports Now:
“With guys like me and Ryan [Luther] coming in next year, older guys that have experience, that’s going to really help," Ellison said. "And then everybody else just having a year under their belt so that next year, they’re going to be more experienced and more mature, we’re going to get this thing going.”
Luther also requested his release from Pitt in March, and he announced his decision to commit to Arizona for his final season of eligibility last Wednesday.
Having already transferred once, Ellison just finished sitting out a year and will be eligible to play in the 2018-19 season if he stays at Pitt. He’s expressed a desire to get back on the court quickly, so remaining with the team may be in his best interest if that’s his top priority. Time will tell what he decides, but his presence could be beneficial to a young Pitt team next season.
