Pittsburgh basketball didn’t have the most productive season on the court, but on the recruiting trail, they’ve put together quite the class.
Pittsburgh basketball hit some bumps in the road during head coach Jeff Capel’s first season, but it was to be expected. Freshmen Xavier Johnson and Trey McGowens still put together quality seasons, showing what’s in store for the future from a talent perspective.
Johnson earned ACC All-Freshman team honors by season’s end for his play, producing 15.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest on 35.2 percent shooting from behind the arc. McGowens showed off his ability to get to the rim and finish with authority on numerous occasions. He averaged 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.7 assists per game as the off-guard.
While the backcourt was strong, the frontcourt was thin. Just two players on the roster are listed over 6-foot-8 and luckily they’ll be back along with a number of frontcourt players that Pittsburgh has secured on the recruiting trail.
So far, they’ve secured three commitments for their 2019 recruiting class. There’s room for two more players to commit and there are offers floating out there for prospects. With a head start in recruiting, the Panthers are set for a strong finish to this year’s cycle. Here’s a look at the Pittsburgh Panthers recruiting outlook for 2019.
Commitments
The current recruiting class is full of forwards, two small forwards and one power forward to be exact, which isn’t the worse thing for the group looking ahead. Their first commitment of the 2019 class was small forward Gerald Drumgoole. Drumgoole is a 6-foot-5 wing player that attended La Lumiere (IN) this past season, playing alongside Keion Brooks Jr. (Kentucky) and Isaiah Stewart (Washington). He ranks 118th overall in the 2019 class and 28th overall at the small forward position. He’ll certainly change the dynamic for a team in need of size and talent on the wing.
The second pledge of their class came a few days later from 6-foot-8 power forward Karim Coulibaly (Scotland Campus). He’s a big body at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, but don’t be fooled, he can move for his size. His versatility will be his most underrated quality when he joins the program. He ranks 228th overall in the 2019 class and 42nd overall at his position.
Their third commitment is Justin Champagnie (Bishop Loughlin) is another wing prospect at 6-foot-6 with the ability to guard multiple positions. He’s a New York native who held offers from Cincinnati, Dayton and Hofstra. He ranks 111th overall in the 2019 class and is the 25th-best small forward.
They’ve made quite the haul so far, but there are still some holes in the rotation, especially at the center position. There are some offers still floating out there for players, but they’re awaiting the results still.
Offers/Needs
Pittsburgh has no real big man on their roster for the 2019-20 season. They’ve currently got the pledge of Karim Coulibaly, but he’s a bit undersized for the center position, especially when it comes to ACC play.
The Panthers have a few sizeable offers out there for some quality big men. Their biggest target is center Ibrahima Diallo (Prolific Prep). Diallo is a 7-foot big man who is down to a final decision of Ohio State and Pittsburgh. He’s expected to a decision before the end of March.
Another under the radar target is 6-foot-8 power forward Oliver Nkamhoua. Nkamhoua has seen his recruitment blow up during his senior season at Bishop Walsh (MD). Along with an offer from Pittsburgh, he holds offers from Wake Forest, Maryland, Arkansas, Minnesota and Illinois.
On the junior college circuit, they’ve been recruiting center Khadim Sy hard as well. Sy is currently at Daytona State College, where he put up 16.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. He’s a familiar name to some as he spent two seasons at Virginia Tech before transferring. He could certainly bolster their frontcourt as well with his 6-foot-10 frame. He also holds offers from Auburn, Ole Miss, LSU and Texas Tech.
Outlook for 2019-20
Assuming everybody returns and the secure some final targets, the Pittsburgh Panthers are in great shape to finish up another solid recruiting class. In 2018 and with a shorter window, Capel secured the 32nd ranked class, according to 247Sports. Right now, his 2019 recruiting class is ranked 33rd on 247Sports.
With two scholarships spots left to fill, Capel has an opportunity to have an even better recruiting cycle than last year. He’ll need to do his best to finish the deal on a big man or two for 2019. They may have to play right away, but such is life in the ACC.
Sophomore Terrell Brown had a strong finish in ACC play, but they still need more on the defensive end. He started in 14 of the final 18 games for the Panthers and put up a career-high 16 points against Syracuse on Feb. 2. 6-foot-6 forward Au’Diese Toney should be able to play on the wing more with the arrival of Coulibaly next season. He had to play inside a lotw which caused some foul trouble for him.
Xavier Johnson and Trey McGowens had their obstacles, but they fared well in Year 1 under Capel and should do more damage in 2019-20. If they can get more help in the frontcourt, they’ll do even more damage as each brings their own style to the floor.