Forward Quinn Slazinski, who played for coach Rick Pitino at Iona and committed to join him at St. John’s, will instead play his fifth season of college basketball at West Virginia, multiple reports said Thursday.
Slazinski entered the transfer portal earlier Thursday and West Virginia reached out right away, WV Sports Now reported. The transfer portal is closed to undergraduates at this time of year, but Slazinski can change schools freely because he is a grad transfer.
The 6-foot-8 forward spent his first two college seasons at Louisville and two more with Pitino at Iona.
Pitino added another surprise transfer Wednesday when former Harvard wing Chris Ledlum, who had transferred to Tennessee in the spring, left Knoxville for his native New York.
“I wanted a big role for my last year,” Slazinski told On3. “When Pitino came to me and said he was going to add (Ledlum) to the team, I understand he was doing what was best for the team success. Conversely, I have my own dreams I want to achieve. I was asked to stay after the decision to add another player came, but it didn’t line up with my goals.
“I thank Pitino for all he has done, but I want to be a major part of a team success at this stage of my career.”
Slazinski’s new team, West Virginia, is in a time of transition as well. Former coach Bob Huggins resigned after a controversial summer that included insensitive remarks about Catholics and LGBTQ people in a radio interview, followed by a DUI arrest. At least three Mountaineers players entered the transfer portal amid the shakeup, and interim head coach Josh Eilert had multiple scholarship roster spots to fill.
Slazinski, a former four-star recruit, was limited to just seven games (three starts) last season due to an ankle injury but posted career highs of 11.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. In 75 career games (34 starts) between Louisville and Iona, he has averaged 6.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.
–Field Level Media
