Pitt coach Jeff Capel says of departed players: 'I don't think we ever had a chance'

Pitt basketball coach Jeff Capel said the three players who left the program after last season were probably leaning that way before he was hired.

Speaking to the Tribune-Review on Thursday in his office overlooking the floor at Petersen Events Center, Capel said he spoke to Ryan Luther, Marcus Carr and Parker Stewart about staying, but all three – among the best players on fired coach Kevin Stallings' roster – decided to transfer.

Luther will attend Arizona, Carr is going to Minnesota and Stewart will enroll at Tennessee-Martin where he'll play for his father, Anthony, the head coach.

“His dad really wanted him,” Capel said of Stewart, who averaged 9.1 points per game as a freshman last season. “It's hard to say no to your dad sometimes.”

Luther, who has one season of eligibility remaining, played only 10 games before suffering a season-ending foot injury. But he averaged a double-double (12.7 points and 10.1 rebounds).

Carr was the team's main ball-handler as a freshman and led the Panthers in assists (129) while averaging 10 points per game.

“Luther and Carr, the reality of it is those guys had been talking to people or people in their circle had been talking to other schools.

“Look, I know how this world works. When there's chaos and uncertainty, other people really start inserting themselves.

“The recruiting process from other schools had already started happening. In fact, I know that.

“With those three guys, I don't think we ever had a chance of keeping them. Which his fine with me.

“My big thing is I don't want guys who don't want to be here. If you don't want to be here, then that's great. It's good to know now, instead of going on and on about it.”

Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.