Jalen Hood-Schifino, a Penn Hills native and one of the prized high school basketball prospects in the Class of 2022, told ESPN he no longer is committed to Pitt and has reopened his recruitment.
Hood-Schifino committed to Pitt last December as a sophomore.
At the time, he was considered a five-star guard according to Rivals and ranked No. 17 in his class, making him Pitt's highest-ranked recruit since Steven Adams in 2012. Hood-Schifino since has been downgraded to a four-star prospect and is ranked No. 33 nationally.
In June, Hood-Schifino transferred from Combine Academy in Charlotte, N.C., to national powerhouse Monteverde (Fla.) Academy.
"I felt it was important to tell them now, because I know they were not recruiting people in my position because of my commitment," Hood-Schifino told ESPN. "This gives them a chance to do that, and it gives me a chance to go through the process."
Hood-Schifino also told ESPN Pitt and head coach Jeff Capel will remain at the top of his list. He holds several offers from ACC programs, including Virginia Tech, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. Florida, Mississippi and Illinois also have offered.
North Carolina, Kansas and Louisville recently have been in touch with Hood-Schifino.
KOVAK'S TAKE
The news is a big blow for Capel and his staff, not to mention it's a rare recruiting setback after a recent run of success for Pitt's head coach.
Capel and company enjoyed some big wins in the Class of 2020 late in the process, landing guard Femi Odukale and prized prospect William Jeffress, who reclassified to join the Panthers a year early. Their additions gave Pitt the No. 21 class nationally, and the recruiting momentum had fans envisioning future greatness.
While Hood-Schifino's decommitment does not mean he won't eventually choose Pitt, it certainly complicates the picture. It sounds like he did it for the right reasons, not wanting to be committed to a program while talking with coaches from blue-bloods. It's more reputable way to handle business than remaining committed only to back out near the end of the process.
But it's also hard envisioning him playing for Pitt in 2022.
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