PROVO — Junior guard Jahshire Hardnett announced via social media Monday he’s leaving BYU as a graduate transfer.
“The last two years have been amazing for my basketball career and me. I’ve met some amazing people and gained another group of brothers/friends,” Hardnett wrote. “I want to thank BYU Men Basketball program for the opportunity to compete on one of the highest stages of college basketball. With that being said I announce that I have decided to cut ties with the basketball program this semester, graduate this spring and become a grad transfer. I am now on the transfer portal and available to have contact with coaches from other universities. Thank you again BYU, my teammates and coaches!”
The news was not unexpected after he appeared in only 20 games this season. In early January, Hardnett chose not to participate in a couple of practices and reportedly was unhappy with his role on the team.
At the time, coach Dave Rose said Hardnett was “going through a tough stretch," was considering his options and was in "the process" of deciding his future.
“Hopefully, when you make decisions that affect a long period of your life, that you can do it maybe in a time when it’s not so emotional. Right now, it’s a pretty emotional thing,” Rose said. “When you get in that grind sometimes, it’s really overwhelming. Hopefully, Jahshire can work through these things and we’ll see where we end up.”
Hardnett returned to the team but didn't play much the rest of the season due to a hand injury. He was sidelined for five straight games before coming off the bench in games against Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount and Portland. He re-injured his hand against Portland and ended up missing the remainder of the regular season.
Hardnett started the first 15 games of the season, but coach Dave Rose changed his role to coming off the bench once West Coast Conference play tipped off in January. He finished the season averaging 9.7 points per game. Hardnett, a Gulfport, Mississippi native, averaged 7.4 points in two seasons in Provo after transferring from Chipola College.
Last week, Rose announced that Taylor Miller, a 6-foot-2 guard from Las Vegas, will join the team next season. Miller has been practicing with the team since January after returning from a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to North Carolina in December and enrolling at BYU.
Prior to his mission, Miller starred at Palo Verde High School in Las Vegas, leading the state of Nevada in scoring, averaging 27 points per game. He also averaged 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.3 steals per contest.
Next season the Cougars will also have the services of Gonzaga transfer Jesse Wade, a guard who sat out this season due to NCAA transfer rules.