Pain-free, Pitt’s William Jeffress puts foot injury behind him on the brink of a new basketball season
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William Jeffress won’t lie about how difficult it was watching his Pitt teammates reach the NCAA Tournament last season.
“It was tough to not be on the court,” he said.
Foot surgery forced him to sit out the entire season and robbed him of the chance to be part of something special. But he never let the injury define his personality. He attended every practice, and he said his teammates never allowed him to feel like an outsider.
“Through the entire journey, I felt a part of it just through our team atmosphere, being together,” he said Tuesday after practice. “When I went down, the guys were always there for me. It was difficult to be on the sideline. Every player wants to play. I was just glad to be a part of it and got to enjoy it.”
That type of togetherness helped carry Pitt to a tie for third place in the ACC and 24 overall victories. Now, Jeffress can be part of the return engagement of Pitt basketball, which opens inside of a month with an exhibition against Pitt-Johnstown on Nov. 1 at Petersen Event Center.
How has Jeffress’ game changed after a year without outside competition?
“The last time you guys saw me on the court, I was a lot more hesitant,” he told reporters. “I think I’ve taken that out of my game to become quicker, more decisive.”
It’s not unusual for injured players to drift away from teammates and end up transferring. But Jeffress has a unique outlook in this era of players seeking instant gratification.
“I am where my feet are,” he said. “A lot of people think the grass is greener on the other side, but I know it’s greener where you water it. Some people transfer out and they do better. Some people transfer out and you never hear from them again.
“You can never guarantee where you’re going to end up. I have full trust and full faith in my decisions and where I put my energies. I know if I feed myself within my environment, I’ll grow.”
Part of his growth is being what coach Jeff Capel has described as a coachable player.
“I believe I’m a listener,” said Jeffress, a two-time All-ACC Academic Team member. “My parents instilled that in me. I always like to think that somebody I’m talking to knows something I don’t. Just being a learner and receptive to constructive criticism. Just being open to other people’s thoughts and opinions allows you to change who you are and look in the mirror and see certain things.”
He said the work he’s done throughout his career, which started when he was a seventh grader playing on the freshman team at Erie’s McDowell High School, has brought him to Pitt as a 20-year-old redshirt junior. He said he’s put in enough work over the years to trust his skills and make them instincts.
“I think that’s probably the biggest leaps and bounds I’ve made in my game.” he said.
Three years ago, at the age of 17, Jeffress became the youngest athlete to appear in an ACC basketball game since North Carolina’s Brad Daugherty in 1982. He was the second-youngest player in the NCAA in that 2020-21 season, starting four games, playing in 16 and averaging 17.1 minutes, 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game.
He increased his numbers the following season to 31 games, 16 starts, 3.3 points and rebounds and 20.7 minutes per game. He plans to be a more complete player this season.
“It all depends on what the team needs in that moment,” he said. “If they swing me the ball and need me to knock down an open shot, I’m going to knock it down. If they swing me the ball and I have to attack the gap and make a play, throw a lob, kick it out to the corner, I’m going to do that. I’m on the court to make plays.”
Jeffress is one of the several players who didn’t play last season but will be expected to make significant contributions. They include transfers Zack Austin and Ishmael Leggett and freshmen Jaland Lowe and Bub Carrington.
“I wouldn’t call it youth,” Jeffress said of the look of the team. “I would just call it a different type of energy. The guys coming in, even the freshmen, are very mature.”
He said the four “pillars” of the program that Capel demands won’t change.
“Things we live by,” Jeffress said. “Show up, keep our promises, make no excuses, appreciate what we have.”
Meanwhile, he said his foot is pain-free, and he is grateful to be healthy enough to rejoin his teammates on the floor.
“You never know. Surgery could have went bad,” he said. “I could have never played again. The mental part of it is definitely the hardest part. Once you see brighter days, it’s all worth it.”