Pittsburgh Basketball: Analyzing transfer targets Joe Girard, Ish Leggett and Zach Austin

Pittsburgh Basketball transfer target – Ishmael Leggett (Rhode Island)

The latest player the team is reportedly in contact with is Leggett, who led a bad Rhode Island team with 16.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, and 2.4 apg. There was little offense for the Rams once Brayon Freeman left the team so the junior guard stepped up in a big way, scoring double figures in 28 of 31 games, including a 34-point effort (7/10 from 3PT) against Tulane.

Leggett shot just 32% from three-point range and struggled with efficiency due to being the lone true offensive weapon on the court. He did shoot 85% from the free throw line and is a good rebounder for his size at 6’2 and 180 pounds.

At the ACC level, Leggett is a two-guard. He played point at Rhode Island and led them in assists but the veteran guard is better playing off the ball. That would be the case at Pittsburgh, assuming that Johnson is ready to run the offense. The team also should go after better true facilitators in case there is any question that if he can handle it in his first year.

There’s also an argument that he’s better coming off the bench as a 6th Man since technically, Leggett could be 1-3 on the court, depending on what the roster looked like. Right now, incoming freshmen Lowe and Carlton Carrington are the current reserve guards and none of them are proven.

If Leggett is willing to take the Nike Sibande role off the bench, he’d have a good amount of minutes. Not the 35 mpg he had this past season but Leggett certainly be in a much better position to make his first NCAA Tournament appearance.