Pittsburgh Nets 2013 Point Guard Josh Newkirk

The opportunity to play in front of friends and family as part of the new-look ACC was too much to pass up for Raleigh point guard Josh Newkirk.

Newkirk gave Jamie Dixon and Pittsburgh a solid verbal on Wednesday following his visit to the school over the weekend. Newkirk held offers from Georgia Tech and Memphis, but scrapped scheduled visits to both schools before making his decision final. Missouri had also been loosely involved in his recruitment.

The newest Panther tweeted his excitement shortly after making his announcement.

Newkirk, who will join the Panthers in time for their first season as members of the ACC, is the second recruit to commit to Dixon in the last month. Jersey City combo-forward Mike Young, a prized 4-star prospect with high upside, committed to Pitt in August.

A scrawny 6-foot-2 point guard, Newkirk lives in the lane and has a penchant for beating his defender off the dribble. Though his outside jumper is inconsistent, Newkirk makes up for his lacking perimeter game with an explosive first-step and sneaky quickness. The Raleigh native is turnover-prone and gets caught from time to time trying to do too much at this stage in his career. But with maturity and experience, he should be able to cut down on the turnovers and mold into a projectable four-year player running the point.

Newkirk played his high school ball at Word of God Christian Academy, the former stomping grounds of former Kentucky point guard sensation John Wall. Judging by his highlight tape, Newkirk will be no less fun to watch.