An anticlimactic three seasons in the Golden Gophers basketball program for Davonte Fitzgerald came to an end Monday.
The redshirt-junior forward will be transferring from the program to play his final season elsewhere, according to a release sent from the team Monday.
“Davonte has been an outstanding member of our program through his time here, and I’m sure he will go on to great things both next year and beyond in his career,” said head coach Richard Pitino in the release.
Fitzgerald arrived in Minnesota before the 2015-16 season as a transfer from Texas A&M and was forced to sit out for a year due to NCAA transfer regulations. With expectations that he would play a big role in the rotation, he missed the entire 2016-17 season with an ACL tear — his second in four years — but was granted a sixth year of eligibility due to his medical situation.
After missing two full seasons, Fitzgerald had a hard time readjusting to the speed and physicality of the game as he played with a brace, averaging just 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per contest.
During the season, Pitino pointed to Fitzgerald’s mental struggle trusting the surgically-repaired left knee.
“I just think if you tear an ACL,” said Pitino, “it’s normal to be, OK, you’re gonna make a basketball move and then be concerned.”
Fitzgerald completed his degree in communication studies after the fall semester and, therefore, is eligible to play immediately at his next school.
The Gophers finished 15-17 (4-14) last season, 11th in the Big Ten.