Inside The Panthers

Will Jeffress Says Goodbye to Pitt

A mainstay in the Pitt Panthers program for years is moving on.

Stephen Thompson

Mar 13, 2023; Dayton, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward William Jeffress (24) shoots the ball
Mar 13, 2023; Dayton, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward William Jeffress (24) shoots the ball / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- Former Pitt Panthers forward William Jeffress has officially confirmed reports that he would leave the school he committed two out of high school and pursue other opportunities in the transfer portal and he wrote a thoughtful goodbye to the program and its fans on Twitter.

"When I got to campus, I had two important goals: help the Pitt Men's Basketball program grow and graduate with my degrees in hand," Jeffress wrote. "I am happy that both of those gials were met. You guys mean the world to me. I cannot say it enough, but THANK YOU!! Starting college early, just turingin 17 during the COVID-19 pademic, my teammates and I faced many challenges on and off the court, but we perservered. Our motto was to continue to build the program brick by brick, and we have been doing just that."

Jeffress went on to thank head coach Jeff Capel, the assistant coaches and support staff, his family and friends and the fans. Jeffress noted that he has two years of eligibility remaining as he looks for his next school.

Jeffress was one of the few holders from Capel's earliest teams to see his time at Pitt through and watch the program climb back into NCAA Tournament and ACC contention.

Jeffress averaged 2.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.9 combined steals and blocks over 16.2 minutes per game with the Panthers. He arrived in 2020 as the highest-rated recruit head coach Jeff Capel had ever signed and struggled to find an offensive game, but earned a reputation as a standout defender. He was instrumental in wins over Wake Forest and West Virginia during the 2023 season with his defense and rebounding. 

Jeffress participated in Senior Day festivities earlier this month during Pitt’s final home game against NC State after graduating in just three and a half years with two degrees in communications  and psychology.

The Panthers now have three scholarships open as they begin to hit the transfer portal and fill the gaps in their roster.

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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