Pittsburgh Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2021-22 season

Power Forward

Starter – Daniel Oladapo (16 mpg)

Like last year, this will be the starting position most up for grabs. And there are two incoming transfers both with similar skillsets in Oladapo and Payton that will be battling for the spot. Oladapo comes from Oakland, where he averaged 11.0 ppg and 7.5 rpg in two seasons as a starter and had some big performances, including back-to-back games of 18 rebounds, as well as a 25-point and 20-rebound game against Robert Morris.

As an undersized power forward at 6’7 and 220 pounds, Oladapo makes up for the lack of height with plenty of aggressiveness and physicality, which will transfer nicely to the ACC. He’ll be a good rebounder and solid defender but a lack of a natural offensive game may limit what he can do as a Panther.

Bench – Chris Payton (20 mpg), Noah Collier (4 mpg)

Payton also was a great rebounder at Indian Hills Community College, in fact, he averaged a double-double on the season (12.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg). The 6’7 forward was very consistent as well, which is a good sign of what to expect if he can make the transition to the ACC level.

Neither can spread the floor from the four-spot very well, which may hurt the Panthers’ offense overall. Whoever can rebound and defender better between Payton and Oladapo will get more minutes but odds are good that it’ll be split. But watch out for Collier, a former three-star prospect that played 12 games last season but is a true 6’8 power forward with potential.