Current 2019-2020 Roster

[Elsalvador]

George and Kene are wildcards in all of this. Pitt's semester ends soon, so who knows if he'll leave once it's over. I know, George is your 13th scholarship player and all, but maybe it could be used on someone who could be your third guy off the bench? Just spit balling here ha. Kene's availability might not be determined until September, who knows? Brown/Kene, like @DC_Area_Panther stated above, should be your 2nd and 3rd options = not a starter at all.

Certain teams play 10-11 guys (a la FSU), so it can be said that the 12/13th scholarship don't matter, but might as well try for a higher rated guy and all.

 

[Harve74]

* I don't think George is leaving.

* I don't think we can afford to tie up more than 4 scholarships with centers when we play 1-in, 4-out. Unless Kene or Brown are leaving, that means only signing one more pure center, not both Sy and Diallo.

* The caveat here is whether Kene's career is over or if he can come back before December. If he can't play, he can be given a medical release and no longer tie up a scholarship.

*ORN could contribute both "out'" and "in" with his length, agility and shooting ability. So, he has extra value to me.

 

[gary2]

* I don't think George is leaving.

* I don't think we can afford to tie up more than 4 scholarships with centers when we play 1-in, 4-out. Unless Kene or Brown are leaving, that means only signing one more pure center, not both Sy and Diallo.

* The caveat here is whether Kene's career is over or if he can come back before December. If he can't play, he can be given a medical release and no longer tie up a scholarship.

*ORN could contribute both "out'" and "in" with his length, agility and shooting ability. So, he has extra value to me.

I agree with your previous posts.

The one comment I would make that is somewhat contradictory: Jamie Dixon's teams often did not have perfect roster distribution. Most often they did have overall team toughness. Maybe that is all that Coach Capel can achieve at the moment. If he achieves that (at this point) I would be OK with that.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

* I don't think George is leaving.

* I don't think we can afford to tie up more than 4 scholarships with centers when we play 1-in, 4-out. Unless Kene or Brown are leaving, that means only signing one more pure center, not both Sy and Diallo.

* The caveat here is whether Kene's career is over or if he can come back before December. If he can't play, he can be given a medical release and no longer tie up a scholarship.

*ORN could contribute both "out'" and "in" with his length, agility and shooting ability. So, he has extra value to me.

"I don't think we can afford to tie up more than 4 scholarships with centers when we play 1-in, 4-out. Unless Kene or Brown are leaving, that means only signing one more pure center, not both Sy and Diallo."

I would agree if it were April 2020. However, right now in April 2019, I don't think this matters much, if at all. I say this because Kene, if he is healthy and stays, will be a senior and surely gone after next season. His staying, IMHO, is not going to keep us from signing some shooter good enough to immediately see significant PT. We have enough ships. Also, I suspect if he stays he will be out of the rotation in favor of Coulibaly (or Sy if he commits) not later than mid-season. Finally, if Diallo is signed, IMHO he will be a developmental big who could very well be red shirted his first year. That way, in 2020-21 your 4 inside options could be Sy (Sr), Brown (Sr), Coulibaly (So), Diallo (RS Fr) which would be an okay class distribution I believe. I didn't consider ORN because I believe if he commits he will be a wing given his starting out in hoops as a guard.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

What’s the rush ? If this was professional football and you had an aging franchise Qb then I get it , but none of the guys Pitts liable to get this year are going to turn Pitt into a powerhouse ACC team next year with a deep run into the NCAAs. The important thing is to bring in enough good players with potential that when Pitt can start getting some of their priority recruits they have the supporting cast in place .
I find it very interesting now that just about everyone is concerned about Pitts lack of talent at knocking down the 3 !

 

[Harve74]

What’s the rush ? If this was professional football and you had an aging franchise Qb then I get it , but none of the guys Pitts liable to get this year are going to turn Pitt into a powerhouse ACC team next year with a deep run into the NCAAs. The important thing is to bring in enough good players with potential that when Pitt can start getting some of their priority recruits they have the supporting cast in place .
I find it very interesting now that just about everyone is concerned about Pitts lack of talent at knocking down the 3 !

We as fans have been focused on what has become the least important part of today's game, the center position, and other than Drumgoole, largely ignored what has become the most important part of the game, 3-pt shooting.

We're slavering over signing a guy who twice quit (or was pushed out of) VT, and a guy who didn't even have a recruiting profile a couple months ago. NEITHER of those guys is likely to be a major part of the Pitt team if and when Capel returns it to prominence.

I agree that we need to recruit for the future. Filling the scholarship slots assigned for centers with guys unlikely to be contributors to our (hopefully) eventual Top 25 team does not seem the best usage of our resources.

I'll stipulate Diallo at least has some upside potential as an eventual force. But, he has BOTH a high ceiling and a low floor. He's as likely to bust as star.

But, a pessimistic observer could say that in some ways, this recruiting class and remaining targets is merely improving slightly over Stallings' recruiting shortcomings. We've signed or are trying to sign guys who are not top-half ACC players. Many of Stallings' signees weren't ACC players at all. The more average guys we sign, the more guys we'll either have to push out or convince to leave.

At this point in April, it's quite possible that the real value of our 4 or 5 open scholarship slots is open scholarship slots for the 2020 class.

We need a back-up ball-handler and, if Kene can't go, a body who can rebound in the paint. That maintains the status quo, with improvement mostly organic, i.e., coming from the freshmen growing up further.

Any real improvement beyond that comes from Top-half ACC players and barring reclassification, there are darn few available in mid-to-late April. They've got to come from guys who are currently 2020 recruits.

Capel pulled 3 rabbits out of his hat late last year. This class isn't full. But, I hope his main targets are different than our fans' main targets.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

What’s the rush ? If this was professional football and you had an aging franchise Qb then I get it , but none of the guys Pitts liable to get this year are going to turn Pitt into a powerhouse ACC team next year with a deep run into the NCAAs. The important thing is to bring in enough good players with potential that when Pitt can start getting some of their priority recruits they have the supporting cast in place .
I find it very interesting now that just about everyone is concerned about Pitts lack of talent at knocking down the 3 !

Well, losing JWF's 3-point shooting is a concern unless Drumgoole or some other player (or combination of players) can match his production from 3-ball land.

More importantly, we want to continue to show W vs L progress next season. That doesn't have to mean winning more than 20 games and going to the NCAAs next year; but, it should mean improving to at least a 0.500 record. To make that improvement vs a more difficult schedule (i.e, a 20 vs 18 ACC season plus a tougher pre-season tourney than last year's) it will take a more talented team than last season's team. So, if we can't improve our inside game and at least replicate, if not improve on, JWF's 3-point production we might not see a W-L improvement or might even regress somewhat in that regard. We surely do not want that to happen. That would be a bad look that could negatively impact landing some of those "priority recruits" you mention.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

@Harve--Well, I think we can stop worrying about having too many post players with Diallo committing to Ohio State.

 

[Harve74]

Diallo to tOSU has been rumored for several days. I just don't think adding marginal bigs improves our ACC record to .500. Whether Diallo, Sy, or Ugboh, they simply aren't that good. In today's game, few centers are. Without more scoring, it might actually make it worse.

We need to improve scoring. We need shooters. An offensive rebounder might help too. I'd rather have Hugley than either of the centers everyone wants but he's a year away.

Because of Chukwuku's injury, we do need insurance. But, not TWO more posts.

In an era when shooters are more important than ever, we don't have them.

If we want to add a couple average to below average ACC players, get guards and fill the air with treys.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Diallo to tOSU has been rumored for several days. I just don't think adding marginal bigs improves our ACC record to .500. Whether Diallo, Sy, or Ugboh, they simply aren't that good. In today's game, few centers are. Without more scoring, it might actually make it worse.

We need to improve scoring. We need shooters. An offensive rebounder might help too. I'd rather have Hugley than either of the centers everyone wants but he's a year away.

Because of Chukwuku's injury, we do need insurance. But, not TWO more posts.

In an era when shooters are more important than ever, we don't have them.

If we want to add a couple average to below average ACC players, get guards and fill the air with treys.

Believe Diallo would have been developmental--needing a redshirt year. He would not have, IMO, provided an the needed immediate upgrade over our current Brown/Chukwuka combo. I do think SY would, or will be, such an upgrade. I don't know anything about where Ugboh would fit -- As a backup? An immediate upgrade?

 

[Harve74]

Believe Diallo would have been developmental--needing a redshirt year. He would not have, IMO, provided an the needed immediate upgrade over our current Brown/Chukwuka combo. I do think SY would, or will be, such an upgrade. I don't know anything about where Ugboh would fit -- As a backup? An immediate upgrade?

There were rumors someone was thinking of Diallo as an instant impact shot blocker. My view was much like yours, developmetal with boom or bust potential.

I watched the Ugboh vid. He looked like a typical, old fashioned back to the basket guy. Catches the ball, turns snd dunks. Negative is he is completely left-handed. Seemed to have decent hands and go up strong. Has a little half-hook but mostly very little finesse. Higher motor than Brown but it WAS a highlight tape.

A poster identifying himself as a competitive juco coach said Ugboh tends to disappear against top competition. Has an interesting offer list, all over the place, from big schools to no-names. His future here, if any, is in the hands of others.

If Sy signs, Sy competes with Brown. Then, Chukwuku is the wild card. If Kene's done, we might offer/sign Ugboh or not. If Sy goes elsewhere, anything can happen. I'd think we'd piut a press on Ugboh, but there are others in the Transfer Portal.

 

[Drew1208]

People keep talking about grad transfers and how most want to

There were rumors someone was thinking of Diallo as an instant impact shot blocker. My view was much like yours, developmetal with boom or bust potential.

I watched the Ugboh vid. He looked like a typical, old fashioned back to the basket guy. Catches the ball, turns snd dunks. Negative is he is completely left-handed. Seemed to have decent hands and go up strong. Has a little half-hook but mostly very little finesse. Higher motor than Brown but it WAS a highlight tape.

A poster identifying himself as a competitive juco coach said Ugboh tends to disappear against top competition. Has an interesting offer list, all over the place, from big schools to no-names. His future here, if any, is in the hands of others.

If Sy signs, Sy competes with Brown. Then, Chukwuku is the wild card. If Kene's done, we might offer/sign Ugboh or not. If Sy goes elsewhere, anything can happen. I'd think we'd piut a press on Ugboh, but there are others in the Transfer Portal.

I might be in the minority. But I think Sy moves well enough to play along side Brown or another center depending on matchups, more depth, and game situation.

 

[Ronnyp91]

Diallo to tOSU has been rumored for several days. I just don't think adding marginal bigs improves our ACC record to .500. Whether Diallo, Sy, or Ugboh, they simply aren't that good. In today's game, few centers are. Without more scoring, it might actually make it worse.

We need to improve scoring. We need shooters. An offensive rebounder might help too. I'd rather have Hugley than either of the centers everyone wants but he's a year away.

Because of Chukwuku's injury, we do need insurance. But, not TWO more posts.

In an era when shooters are more important than ever, we don't have them.

If we want to add a couple average to below average ACC players, get guards and fill the air with treys.

I’d agree taking two “centers” would be a mistake especially given our lack three point threats. Would prefer a big who could play the 4 or 5 to give us some flexibility if we need to go big. And it sounds like Coulibaly can be that guy I’ve read he has shooting range. I think Sy fits that too.

 

[Drew1208]

Sy gonna be chucking up 3s whether anybody likes it or not. If he comes here.

 

[PhysicalOatmeal]

I’m more concerned about finding a backup PG than anything else — if X gets hurt and N’dir doesnt come back, then there is literally no one to play there. I don’t like Trey at the 1

 

[PhysicalOatmeal]

If Johnson gets hurt, the season is over no matter who is the backup so I'm not worrying about who they get. However, this team has no shot at the NCAAT without an ACC level C. Even with one, there is little chance, but if we get one, we at least have hope.

True, but it’d be nice to have someone to at least give him a breather every so often

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

I’d agree taking two “centers” would be a mistake especially given our lack three point threats or 5 to give us some flexibility if we need to go big. And it sounds like Coulibaly can be that guy I’ve read he has shooting range. I think Sy fits that too.

Given the number of open ships this is irrelevant as a concern--we are not in an either-or situation.

Unfortunately, we could potentially be in a neither-nor type situation.

Just have to wait and see the ultimate outcome.