Pitt adds Jayla Everett as transfer from New Mexico

Lance White and the Pitt women’s basketball team landed a commitment from New Mexico transfer Jayla Everett on Thursday night, adding a talented offensive threat as well as a fiery competitor to a promising young roster.

The 5’10” guard was a top-100 recruit in the 2018 class, according to espnW, which placed her at 94th overall. At New Mexico, she lived up to the hype in her freshman season, earning Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors in 2019, after scoring 13.3 points per game and shooting 33.7 percent from three-point range.

The St. Louis native followed up her solid freshman season by averaging 10.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a sophomore. However, she was one of three Lobos players to leave the team midseason, and her decision followed an “extended argument” with New Mexico head coach Mike Bradbury during a team practice, according to Ken Sickenger of the Albuquerque Journal.

At Pitt, Everett joins a team that could quickly find itself on the rise, considering the caliber of talent White has landed. Everett will be one of two top-100 prospects from the 2018 class on the Pitt roster, as Jahsyni Knight was ranked 96th in the class by espnW. The team also features former JUCO All-American Gabbie Green, offensive luminary Dayshanette Harris, and frontcourt standouts Rita Igbokwe and Marcella Lamark. Pitt will gain another top-100 recruit in Tracey Hueston in 2020.

One issue the new-look Panthers will have to overcome is the loss of longtime leader Aysia Bugg. Bugg finished her career as one of Pitt’s top scorers, and she will be joined on her way out by Kyla Nelson. Nelson was a 40.4 percent three-point shooter in the 2018-19 season, and she entered the transfer portal on Thursday.