Pitt Basketball’s NIL Spending Will Shock Fans

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers haven't been successful on the court in recent seasons, but a recent influx of money could change that.

The Panthers reportedly spent $12.1 to $15 million on their NIL this season, putting them in Tier 4 of the report of all Power 5 teams by Matt Norlander and Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports.

Pitt ranks among the higher-spending ACC teams, above the $11.9 million average roster cost, and has more buying power than 12 conference foes, per Norlander and Trotter, including the likes of Cal, Clemson, Florida State, NC State and Syracuse.

That's a big investment for the Panthers and one they'll need to come through on in the 2026-27 season.

Why Pitt is Spending More Money This Season

Pitt was one of the slower teams to adapt to the NIL era, which allowed players to profit off their own name, image and likeness, at the start of the decade.

NIL collectives popped up shortly after, with Pitt having Alliance 412, but revenue sharing means schools can now share up to $21.58 million of various streams of revenue with their student-athletes.

The Panthers, especially in basketball, took too long to get on board with NIL, and it impacted their play on the court, as they weren't able to get the top talent.

Mar 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel III reacts in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pitt did well in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016 and going back-to-back 24-win seasons.

The Panthers didn't make the NCAA Tournament in 2024, controversially missing out, but fell to 17-15 in the 2024-25 season and then to 13-20 last campaign.

Pitt head coach Jeff Capel earned a contract extension after the 2023-24 season, which moved his contract through to 2030.

The Panthers had thoughts of firing Capel after last season, but with a buyout around $15 million, athletic director Allen Greene and the school decided to retain him and put the money into bolstering the team.

Who Did Pitt Get With All This Money?

Pitt only retained one player from last season, in sophomore guard Macari Moore, who had a reserve role and wasn't an impact player.

The Panthers brought in 11 transfers and two new freshmen for their 14 scholarship players, with some more high-end talents and others filling in gaps in the roster.

New Transfers Pitt Brought In for 2026-27 Season

Player	Previous School (Recent/Previous)	Position (Year)
Jalil Bethea	Alabama/Miami	Guard (Junior)
Dominique Diomande	BYU/Washington	Forward (Junior)
Nait George	Syracuse/Georgia Tech	Guard (Senior)
Kraig Gilbert	Concord (W.Va.) (DII)	Forward (Junior)
Colin Hawkins	Gardner-Webb	Guard (Junior)
Armani Mighty	Mercer/Central Michigan/Boston College	Center (Senior)
Baye Ndongo	Georgia Tech	Forward (Senior)
Jonathan Powell	North Carolina/West Virginia	Guard/Forward (Junior)
Timofei Rudovskii	Bryant	Forward (Sophomore)
Akir Souare	Syracuse/Georgia Tech	Forward (Senior)
A'lahn Sumler	Charleston Southern/Northern Kentucky	Guard (Fifth Year)

Pitt brought in many Power 5 transfers, including ACC talents in seniors in guard Nait George and forwards Baye Ndongo and Akir Souare, who all played at Georgia Tech previously.

Junior guard Jalil Bethea as a five-star recruit in the 2024 class and has played at both Miami and Alabama, with him getting a much bigger chance with Pitt this season as a junior.

Jan 24, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama guard Jalil Bethea (1) scores against Tennessee forward Felix Okpara (34) at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Forwards in junior Dominique Diomande, who played for both Washington and BYU, and Jonathan Powell, who played for both North Carolina and West Virginia, also have Power 5 experience.

Pitt also added players from the mid-majors like junior guard Colin Hawkins from Gardner-Webb, the Russian sophomore forward Timofei Rudovskii from Bryant, senior center Armani Mighty from Mercer, exciting fifth-year guard A'lahn Sumler from Charleston Southern and junior forward Kraig Gilbert from Division II program Concord in Athens, W.Va.

The Panthers also have four-star recruits from the Class of 2026 in forward Chase Foster and guard Jermal Jones Jr., both of whom played for IMG Academy.

It's a pivotal season for Capel and the Panthers, and if it doesn't work out, it's likely the last year for him on the job.

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