Pitt women’s basketball gains player, loses another via transfer portal

Bill Hartlep
Friday, April 3, 2020 11:22 a.m. | Friday, April 3, 2020 11:22 a.m.

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Courtesy of Pitt athletics

Pitt junior guard Kyla Nelson (right) shares a laugh wth ESPN’s Holly Rowe at a game against Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 17. It was Nelson’s first game back after undergoing surgery for cancer. Rowe, who is also a cancer survivor, was in contact with Nelson through the entire process and surprised her by attending the game.

One of the top women’s basketball players in the Mountain West Conference could be in a Pitt uniform next season.

Jayla Everett, the 2019 Mountain West Freshman of the Year, decided to transfer from New Mexico to Pitt. She posted her intention on Twitter on Thursday.

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— JAY (@jayla_dianne4) April 2, 2020

A versatile 5-foot-11 guard who averaged 11.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists this season, Everett was the Missouri High School Player of the Year out of Kirkwood High School in St. Louis in 2018.

She was a four-star recruit and ranked 94th in the nation by ESPNW and led Kirkwood to back-to-back state titles in 2017 and ‘18.

She went on to average 13.5 points while starting all 31 games as a freshman at New Mexico.

Everett will join a Pitt team that finished 5-26 overall and 1-17 in the ACC this winter under second-year coach Lance White. That team will be without guard Kyla Nelson, who has entered the transfer portal.

The 5-11 junior posted her intentions on her Twitter account Thursday.

“This is not really something I thought I would have to do but I am excited to see where my journey will take me next. I look forward to being in an environment that will continue to support myself on and off the court,” she posted.

I am officially in the transfer portal!

This is really not something I thought I would have to do but I am excited to see where my journey will take me next. I look forward to being in an environment that will continue to support myself on and off the court.

— Kyla Nelson (@kylanelson_) April 2, 2020

Nelson, a native of Worthing, England, scored three points in four games this season. She announced a cancer diagnosis in September but was able to return in late December to play four games.

Nelson’s return came after undergoing successful surgery to remove cancerous cells in October after being diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor of the appendix.

She played in 30 games in her freshman and sophomore seasons.