Add another to Jeff Capel's ever-growing list of departing players.
Pitt officials announced Wednesday afternoon that Abdoul Karim Coulibaly would enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. He's the fifth player, and third starter to leave the program via transfer in the past month.
“We appreciate Karim’s time and efforts here with our program and wish him luck as he looks to continue his career elsewhere,” Capel said in a statement.
Coulibaly averaged 5.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game while starting 20 of 22 contests last season for the Panthers. He served as the team's starting center and the primary big man on the court. He finishes his Pitt career 184 points, 130 rebounds and 23 blocked shots in 48 games, with all 20 starts coming from the 2020-2021 season..
Xavier Johnson announced his intention to leave on Feb. 24, and Au'Diese Toney did the same the next day. Since then, sophomore guard Gerald Drumgoole and Terrell Brown have also entered the transfer portal.
The defections are not just happening at Pitt, but throughout the world of college basketball. As of Tuesday, there were 573 Division I players already in the portal, according to the Charlotte News & Observer.
Capel will have to be very active in the transfer portal, and Coulibaly leaving only adds to that challenge. The 6-foot-8, 218-pound sophomore wasn't a major threat in the paint, but he was at least a player who could contribute. Even if Capel had landed a major transfer or high school recruit, Coulibaly would have been an ideal big man off the bench.
Coulibaly's departure could set Pitt up to have a completely different starting five from the majority of last season. Johnson, Ithiel Horton, Toney, Justin Champagnie and Coulibaly started the large majority of the season. Horton lost his starting spot to Nike Sibande at the end of last season and with Johnson, Toney and Coulbaly leaving that could make for an entirely new lineup if Champagnie chooses to go to the NBA.