William Jeffress

Photo by: Pitt Athletics

Position:
Guard/Forward
Height:
6-7
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Erie, PA
High School:
McDowell

CAREER

Averaged 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game ... 78 career games played (22 starts)
Totaled 192 points, 197 rebounds, and 44 steals
Three-time All-ACC Academic Team selection ... four-time ACC Honor Roll selection

2023-24

All-ACC Academic Team and ACC Honor Roll selection
Averaged 1.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game ... played in 31 games with two starts
Came off the bench to spark the Panthers in the final 10 minutes of action in a home win over Wake Forest (1/31) ... delivered a momentum changing defensive effort against Efton Reid and also had a key dunk in the final three minutes of action to help secure the win
Went 3-of-3 from the field and finished with six points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block at home against Syracuse (1/16)
Grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds, including four offensive boards, in 21 minutes at Syracuse (12/30)
Went 2-of-2 from three-point range and finished with six points, three rebounds, and a steal against Canisius (12/9)
Changed the energy of the West Virginia (12/6) game with his defensive intensity and rebounding ... finished with nine rebounds to go along with one steal and a blocked shot ... Pitt was +22 with him on the floor
Impacted Pitt’s win over FGCU (11/13) with a strong defensive and rebounding effort ... the team was +14 with him on the floor ... finished with two points, five rebounds, two steals, and a blocked shot
Posted seven points, four rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot in his return against NC A&T (11/6)

2022-23

Did not participate in the 2022-23 season after undergoing left foot surgery in December 2022
Named to the ACC Honor Roll

2021-22

Named to the All-ACC Academic Team and ACC Honor Roll
Appeared in 31 games making 16 starts
Averaged 3.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 20.7 minutes per game
Third on the team in offensive rebounds with 30… totaled 102 rebounds in total for the season
Had five points, four rebounds and a steal against Miami (2/22)
Pulled down six boards in 10 minutes of action at Florida State (2/9)
Scored eight points and knocked down two three-pointers at Virginia Tech (2/7)
Recorded six points, four rebounds, a block, and a steal at home in a win over Boston College (1/8)
Tallied nine points, two steals and three rebounds versus Colgate (12/9)
Went 2-for-2 from behind the arc and totaled six points, six rebounds, a steal and a block at Virginia (12/3)
Grabbed eight rebounds and made a season-best three three-pointers agaiinst UMBC (11/27)
Season-high nine rebounds – three offensive – with seven points and a season-best three steals in a win over UNCW (11/16)
Opened the season gathering five or more rebounds in seven of his first eight games, including four games with seven or more
Registered 19 points, 23 rebounds and four steals in his first three games

2020-21

Named to the All-ACC Academic Team and ACC Honor Roll
Appeared in 16 games, starting in four … averaged 17.1 minutes a game
Averaged 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds for the season … went 10-of-16 from the free-throw line
Became the youngest ACC player (17 years, five months, 22 days) to compete in a game since Brad Daugherty debuted for North Carolina at 17 years, one month and one day old Nov. 20, 1982 … was the second youngest player to appear in an NCAA game during the 2020-21 season
Went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line against Clemson (3/6) … added an offensive rebounds and a steal
Registered a season-best eight points to go along with two rebounds and two blocks against Wake Forest (3/2)
Had three points, two offensive rebounds, one assist and one block at NC State (2/28)
Grabbed a season-high eight rebounds to go along with two points one assist in a road win at Syracuse (1/6)
Played 33 minutes against Northwestern (12/9), notching seven points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal in a 71-70 victory on the road
Made his collegiate debut at home against Saint Francis (11/25), recording seven points, four rebounds, one assist and a steal

USA Basketball

Helped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2019 FIBA U16 Americas Championship in Brazil ... averaged 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per game as Team USA went 6-0 with a +38.2 scoring margin for the event
Had nine points and four rebounds in 15 minutes in a quarterfinal win over Puerto Rico
Pitt’s first commitment with a gold medal in international competition since James Robinson joined the program prior to the 2012-13 season
Also participated in the 2019 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team October minicamp, the 2019 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team July minicamp, the 2019 USA Junior National Team minicamp at the men’s Final Four in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the October 2018 USA Junior National Team minicamp in Colorado Springs, Colorado

High School

Played three seasons of varsity basketball for head coach Kevin O’Conner at McDowell ... played on the school’s freshman team as a seventh and eighth grader
Three-time Pennsylvania Sports Writers’ all-state selection ... three-time District 10 and Region 7 selection
Finished his career as the Trojans’ all-time scoring (1,673 points) and rebounding (578 rebounds) leader in just three seasons ... guided the team to a 54-18 record overall
Named PIAA 6A first team all-state ... received District 10 and Region 7 Player of the Year honors
Finalist for Mr. Basketball in Pennsylvania
Led McDowell to a 23-3 record and PIAA Quarterfinals appearance before the playoffs were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020
Averaged 24.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game ... scored 20 or more points in 18 games, including six games with 30 or more points
Made 42 three-point field goals and shot 81.8 percent (157-of-192) from the free throw line
Scored a season-high 41 points in an overtime win over West Orange [Fla.]
Posted 39-point games in wins over Bethal Park and Conrad Academy [Fla.]
Also topped the 30-point plateau against Cathedral Prep, Meadville and Benedictine [Ohio]
Named MVP and led McDowell to team championship at KSA Events Tournament for the third consecutive season
Received sophomore All-America and PIAA 6A second team all-state accolades in 2019 ... also named First Team PIAA District 10 and Region 7
Averaged 24.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, while leading McDowell to the PIAA District 10 semifinals
Shot 44.9 percent (177-of-394) from the field and 79.5 percent (178-of-224) from the foul line
Led McDowell and earned MVP honors at KSA Events Tournament
Earned PIAA 6A second team all-state recognition as a freshman after averaging 21.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game ... led the Trojans to the District 10 championship
Shot 45.9 percent (164-of-357) from the field and 72.7 percent (133-of-183) from the free throw line
PIAA District 10 and Region 7 first team selection ... also received Varsity Cup Rookie of the Year honors
Named MVP of KSA Events Tournament ... led the Trojans to the team title

Personal

Born William Solomon Jeffress, Jr., in Erie, Pa. on June 3, 2003
Son of Andrea and William Jeffress, Sr. ... has two sisters, Adrianna and Jasmine
Mother, Andrea, earned her PHD from Yale at the age of 22 ... currently an OBGYN as part of the UPMC Hamot Hospital system in Erie, Pa.
Father, William Sr., is in the University of New Haven Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame and was drafted by the USBL Connecticut Skyhawks ... compiled 1,354 points (16th all-time) and 793 rebounds for the Chargers from 1984-88 ... “Dollar Bill” was also one of the best defenders in program history, recording 172 blocked shots and 130 steals in 120 games ... shot 54.8 percent from the floor during his career (5th), while also ranking in the top 10 in free throws made (372 - 3rd) ... he earned All-New England honors as a junior as the Chargers made their first appearance in the NCAA postseason ... New Haven returned to the national stage in the following season and recorded the program’s first NCAA postseason victory
Sister, Adrianna, played tennis at Mercyhurst ... she was a second team All-PSAC selection as a freshman ... concluded her career with 81 doubles victories and 76 wins in singles action
Enjoys playing the saxophone, hanging out with his friends, playing ping pong, swimming and watching Netflix
Favorite player is LeBron James
A 4.0 student with dual enrollment in both high school and college courses and was also a member of the National Honor Society at Erie’s McDowell High School ... also a member of the Honors College Gifted Program
Made the decision to reclassify and forego a final season of high school eligibility to join the 2020 recruiting class
Played AAU with Team Durant on the Nike EYBL circuit from 2016-2019 ... helped the team to an AAU National Championship in 2018
Averaged 8.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game for Team Durant on the 2019 EYBL Circuit
Ranked 79th overall and 13th among forwards in the 2020 recruiting class by Rivals
Rated as the No. 2 player in the state of Pennsylvania ...ranked 109th in the 247 Sports recruiting rankings ... slotted 33rd in the 2021 ESPN Top 100 before reclassifying
Selected Pitt over a final list of schools that included Baylor, Memphis, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Villanova and Virginia
Interested in pursuing a career in broadcasting following his playing days
Enrolled in Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences ... double major in psychology and communications