The Pitt Panthers are set to lose a member of their roster as redshirt freshman forward Marlon Barnes Jr. has announced his decision to enter the transfer portal. After two seasons with the program, Barnes confirmed his departure in an interview with The Portal Report, with former Pitt player Ryan Murphy serving as his agent.
A native of Cleveland, Barnes played high school basketball at Brush High School in Lyndhurst, Ohio. As a senior, he averaged 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, earning an Honorable Mention in the OPSWA Northeast Lakes All-District selection and a spot on the News Herald Second Team All-Star list. Coming out of high school, Barnes was considered a consensus three-star recruit in the Class of 2023. Rankings from major scouting services placed him among Ohio’s top prospects—247Sports ranked him No. 9 in the state and No. 76 among small forwards, while ESPN listed him as the No. 50 small forward nationally. He ultimately chose Pitt over offers from Miami and Cleveland State, joining a class that included standout guards Jaland Lowe and Bub Carrington.
Barnes redshirted his freshman year under head coach Jeff Capel and saw limited playing time this past season. He appeared in just eight games—all Pitt victories—and scored a single basket, a three-pointer during the team’s 93-67 win over Boston College in the regular-season finale on March 8. His decision to transfer makes him the first Pitt player to enter the portal following what was an up-and-down season for the Panthers.
Pitt started the season strong, going 12-2 overall and opening ACC play with a 3-0 record. At one point, the team ranked No. 5 in the initial NET Rankings. However, three separate four-game losing streaks derailed their momentum, and they finished with a 17-15 overall record and an 8-12 mark in ACC play. Their season ended with a first-round exit in the ACC Tournament, and the team declined postseason invitations to focus on improving the roster for next year.
With Barnes’ departure, the Panthers will look to restructure their frontcourt for the 2025-26 season. Returning scholarship forwards include Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham, Cameron Corhen, Papa Amadou Kante, and Amdy Ndiaye. The team will also need to adjust after losing three key players to graduation—guards Ish Leggett and Damian Dunn, along with forward Zack Austin, who earned All-ACC Defensive Team honors. As the offseason progresses, Pitt will aim to rebuild and refine its roster for a more competitive campaign next year.