Pittsburgh Basketball: Is Guillermo Díaz Graham the answer at power forward?

Freshman big man Guillermo Díaz Graham has looked good at the U20 Euros this past week. Could he have the same impact early on at Pittsburgh Basketball?

While Dior Johnson became the star offseason pickup for Pittsburgh Basketball, he’s not the only incoming freshman for the team. The Panthers also landed a pair of twin big men in Jorge and  Guillermo Díaz Graham, two four-star recruits who choose the ACC program over the likes of UMass and Weber State.

Outside of returning leading scorer and rebounder John Hugley, the frontcourt for Pittsburgh has plenty of question marks. That’s especially true at the power forward position, with Iowa State/Ole Miss transfer Blake Hinson, returning forward William Jeffress, and the 6’11 forward Jorge Diaz Graham all vying. However, Guillermo’s performance at the U20 European Tournament this past week for Spain may have put him into the conversation as well.

Guillermo made the cut for the team and came off the bench but played in every game of the event. He averaged 6.3 ppg off the bench, shooting 59% from the field, and blocked 12 total shots in seven games en route to Spain winning the Gold Medal.

https://twitter.com/MaceoBaller16/status/1549100439144218625

Diaz Graham is listed at around 7’0 and 205 pounds and is fairly small for a center. He’ll certainly have to add some more bulk to play the five-stop in college but is it possible that as a freshman that he can play some power forward? His most impressive work was his help-side defense, blocking several shots seemingly out of nowhere. It’s hard not to make comparisons to last season’s starting forward Mo Gueye, who could block shots and make three-pointers efficiently.

When it comes to the four-spot, it’ll come down to what is the most pressing need. If it’s scoring and floor-spacing next to Hugley, Hinson has the edge. If it’s defense and versatility, then Jeffress should see minutes. But if it’s the best “all-around” prospect that can do a bit of everything,  Guillermo Díaz Graham may be the best option.

He has plenty of promise for the future but some freshmen are too good to keep on the bench. If head coach Jeff Capel plans on playing his best 8-9 players on the court next season, it’s hard to envision the gold-medal winning forward not being a part of that group.