Pitt junior middle John Hugley introduced by way of Twitter on Saturday afternoon that he can be sitting out the rest of the 2022-23 season to concentrate on getting wholesome.
Hugley launched a full assertion detailing his resolution:
“Thank you in your continued help all through a difficult yea for me mentally in addition to bodily,” he mentioned on his Twitter. “I need nothing greater than to be on the courtroom with my teammates, nonetheless on account of an harm and my psychological well being being a precedence; after lengthy discussions and talks with my coaches, household, and mentors I’ve determined the most effective plan of action can be for me to take a seat out the rest of my season to totally put money into therapeutic mentally in addition to bodily. Thank you for the love, encouragement, and prayers. The help from my household, pals, coaches, teammates, and followers is really appreciated as I proceed on this journey.”
Pitt head coach Jeff Capel additionally launched an announcement backing his junior middle’s resolution.
“We are right here to help John as he continues to be taught to handle challenges in his private life,” Capel mentioned. “John has labored onerous to get thus far and needs to be applauded for searching for out the assistance to proceed to develop as a younger man. This subsequent step will permit him the time and house to concentrate on his private progress. We are right here to offer love and help for him on this journey that may undoubtedly assist him all through his life.”
Hugley has appeared in eight video games this season. The Cleveland native is averaging 8 factors and three.6 rebounds per sport. Hugley sustained an harm within the offseason, which led to him being sidelined for six weeks, together with the primary two video games of the season. He returned to motion to play towards Michigan within the Legends Classic, posting 9 factors towards the Wolverines earlier than lacking the VCU sport the subsequent evening.
Hugley went onto to play the subsequent seven video games, however didn’t appear like his ordinary self. He scored 2 factors in 11 minutes of motion on December tenth towards Sacred Heart. The subsequent sport on December seventeenth towards North Florida, Pitt introduced Hugley could be out for ‘private causes’ and Capel mentioned within the postgame press convention that day that he didn’t have an replace on Hugley’s standing on the time and it has remained that method for weeks.
The junior middle has not dressed since that December tenth sport. Hugley has remained a vocal presence on the Pitt bench within the meantime, however on Wednesday evening he didn’t journey to Durham for Pitt’s sport towards No. 24 Duke. Pitt mentioned he was out with a ‘Non-Covid sickness’ earlier than he launched his assertion forward of immediately’s sport towards Georgia Tech.
Hugley was an honorable point out decide for All-ACC a season in the past. As a sophomore, Hugley averaged 14.8 factors per sport together with 7.9 rebounds. Entering this season he was anticipated to take a giant leap forward with a powerful supporting forged round him. Pitt is off to a 11-6 begin to the season and the crew is 4-2 in ACC play. The Panthers secured signature wins over ranked groups like North Carolina and Virginia with out Hugley taking part in a think about both upset.
Pitt is about to tackle Georgia Tech later immediately in Atlanta for a 3:00 p.m. tip on the ACC Network trying to snap a present two sport shedding streak.
