Pitt Basketball Contacts Dayton Transfer Sharpshooter

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers basketball coaching staff continues putting in work in the transfer portal, as they reach out to players from across the college landscape.

Pitt was one of a number of schools, who reached out to Dayton transfer redshirt junior guard Malachi Smith, according to Dushawn London of 247Sports.

Smith hails from the Bronx, N,Y. and played for St. Raymond High School for Boys. He averaged 19.2 points, 8.0 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game as a junior in the 2019-20 season, earning AA First Team All-CHSAA and Third Team All-New York honors.

His play also guided St. Raymond to the 2020 New York Catholic High School Athletic Association AA regular season championship.

Smith didn't play his senior season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and signed with Dayton as a part of the Class of 2021.

ESPN ranked Smith as a four-star recruit, No. 30 point guard, No. 35 in the East region and No. 5 recruit in New York. 247Sports and Rivals both rated Smith as a three-star, with 247Sports ranking him No. 27 at his position and No. 3 in the state, while Rivals ranked him No. 139 in the nation and the No. 24 point guard.

Smith had an excellent freshman campaign in the 2021-22 season, starting 29 of 33 games, before he suffered a season-ending injury on March 12.

He averaged a team-high 31.0 minutes and 5.3 assists per game, plus 9.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, while shooting 40.3% from the field, 40.0% from 3-point range and 78.4% from the foul line.

Smith, in the A-10, ranked second with a 2.6 assist/turnover ratio, fifth in steals per game and sixth in assists per game, which helped him earn a spot on the A-10 All-Rookie Team.

He then dealt with injuries the following two seasons, which heavily curtailed his playing time significantly.

Smith suffered injuries to both of his ankles as a sophomore in the 2022-23 season, which kept him out for 15 games.

He started 16 of the 19 contests he did play, averaging 29.8 minutes, 7.7 points, 5.6 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 39.7% from the field, 38.3% from 3-point range and 70.0% from the foul line.

Smith then had surgery on both of his ankles, six weeks apart in the spring and summer of 2023 and returned to practice by September.

He then injured his knee in the season opener and surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his right knee two days later, using a medical redshirt for the 2023-24 season.

Smith returned this past season and started 31 of 33 games he played in. He averaged 27.8 minutes, 10.4 points, 5.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game, while shooting 42.4% from the field, 38.3% from 3-point range and 71.7% from the free throw line.

Numerous schools have contacted Smith, including ACC schools in Florida State, Miami and SMU, Big Ten schools in Illinois and Rutgers, Big East schools in Butler, Seton Hall, St. John's and UConn, plus

London also reported that Smith scheduled an official visit to Wake Forest on March 30.

Smith has one year left of eligibility, and the Panthers, who have just two returning guards back in Jaland Lowe and Brandin "Beebah" Cummings, will want to add to their backcourt for next season.

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