Welcome to the Pitt mailbag, where the Post-Gazette reporters Noah Hiles and Chris Carter answer all of your questions about the Panthers. If you have a question, tweet them at @_Noahhiles and @Cartercritiques or email them at nhiles@post-gazette.com and ccarter@post-gazette.com. Noah and Chris will answer your questions in full length each Tuesday on YouTube. You can read the condensed version of the discussion below.
Harry: Is Pitt’s recruiting class legit, or are they just getting a ton of average guys to commit early?
Hiles: A little bit of both. I think what all these early verbal commits signify is that Pitt now has a legitimate sales pitch. They’re able to land solid three-star prospects early on, which will in return, give them more time to continue pursuing the top-tier guys on their radar. Pitt’s 2024 recruiting class is not going to finish rated in the top 10. It might not even finish in the top 20. But if the Panthers can take advantage of their early start on getting their key depth guys locked down and use the extra time to land a few more four-stars — which is a possibility — then their class will be a legitimate top-20 group in the country. The Panthers are off to a strong start because of quantity. Now it’s time to add more quality.
Carter: No team’s recruiting class is “legit” in June. Most of the top players in the country don’t commit until August at the very least, with some waiting all the way until signing day. My point is, we’re still very early on to celebrate anything, but Pitt is off to a really good start. Sure, once the five-star guys start committing to Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, etc., Pitt is going to slide down, but their slide won’t be nearly as dramatic as years past. I think the Panthers are in a great position to finish with a top 20-30 recruiting class, which is a notable improvement from last year.
Leonard: Is it fair to expect more use from Pitt’s tight end room this fall? On top of them hopefully throwing the ball to Gavin more often, will we see more use out of Karter Johnson and Malcolm Epps?
Hiles: Absolutely. Not only does the entire team know the playbook better, but they have a quarterback who knows how to run the offense. That, along with the fact that they’re thin at receiver, tells me Gavin Bartholomew will get many more targets in the passing game. They were very pleased with Karter Johnson’s development this spring and Malcolm Epps is a guy who has key experience for a pair of huge programs — Texas and USC. Both used him as a blocking tight end, and I expect him to have the same role in Pittsburgh. Don’t be shocked if Pitt goes with a lot of two- and three-tight end sets this fall. They have the depth to do it.
Carter: I think the lack of tight end use wasn’t really on the tight ends but more the quarterback. Kedon Slovis just didn’t really grasp the offense and he failed to give Gavin hardly any chances when he had one-on-one coverage. I don’t see that being a problem this year because Phil understands how important a tight end is in Frank Cignetti’s offense. Phil’s playing style in general is very conducive to using a tight end. He likes to extend plays and typically that means finding a big guy over the middle. Twelve and 13 personnel is going to be a regular thing for the Panthers, as it should be because it will help them run the football better.
Cameron: Blake Hinson said on the radio his biggest feedback from NBA scouts was that he needed to get into better shape. If you’re an NBA scout, what are you looking to see from Hinson this season?
Hiles: I not only want to see Blake get in better shape, but use that conditioning to his advantage. If Blake wants to play in the NBA, he needs to show he can defend the best player on the court. I’d like to see him take full responsibility for guys like Kyle Filipowski next year. I’d also like to see him use his size to create more scoring looks closer to the basket. I know Blake is capable of doing both of these things. Early last season, we saw him playing more aggressive on defense and attacking the basket, but both got him into foul trouble, so I think he adjusted his game. Part of being the best of the best is learning how to play your top game and not get called for those fouls. Blake is confident and very easily motivated. I expect him to take that feedback from the scouts to heart.
Carter: If you’re going to be an NBA draft pick, you need to be one of the most well-rounded players in the world. Blake’s game is strong, but I agree that there is room to grow until he’s in that category. If we see him get in better shape, I think he will be able to address those flaws. He should be motivated because this is his final year. He knows what needs to be done in order for him to fulfill his life-long dream. I think Blake will play in the NBA one day. He just has to make the most of his final year, and like the scouts said, that starts with him getting in better shape.
Robert: Which former Panther from last year’s team do you think has the best shot to catch on with an NBA team?
Hiles: I think the easy answer here is Jamarius Burton. If this guy had an outside shot, he’d be a no-brainer, but I still think there is a lot that he does that will translate to the next level. If you’ve watched the NBA playoffs this year, you’ve seen that there is still value in a quality mid-range jump shot. Guards like Jalen Brunson have proven that if you can knock down looks from 15-to-20 feet consistently, they are quality shots. Burton has that shot in his bag. His size and passing abilities also help his cause. JB has already had three pro tryouts this summer, with the Lakers, Bucks and Grizzlies. I don’t expect him to get drafted, but I think he will play in the NBA at some point.
Carter: Burton is the answer. On top of everything that Noah listed, JB also has the mind for the next level. He just understands the game so well, and you want a guy like that coming off your bench. I don’t know if he will start the season in the league. He might need a few years overseas or in the G-League before he’s ready for the NBA, but I think he can make it there eventually. My second pick would be Nike Sibande because of his athleticism. I know he had a tryout with the Mavericks. Nike can do everything you want from a guard at the highest level, he just needs to do it all consistently.
Bernard: Are there any updates on Pitt basketball’s 2024 class? Is Brandin Cummings still the only commit so far?
Hiles: No updates for now, but there is a reason behind that. Blake Hinson is the only senior on this year’s roster, which means you really shouldn’t recruit more than one high school guy heavily. It would be a poor message to guys on the team if you had more players coming in than current spots available. I expect Pitt to get probably one, or maybe even two more high school recruits but not anytime soon. They have to wait and see how things play out with the current roster. Will they fill that last scholarship spot? Will anyone transfer or leave early for the NBA? Once you get a better idea of what’s going on there, then you can be more aggressive. This limited 2024 class also gives Jeff Capel and his staff a chance to really be aggressive with the 2025 recruiting class, which could be massive for Pitt. The Panthers are in the mix for some huge names, such as local five-star talents Meleek Thomas and Alier Maluk, along with five-star forward Koa Peat, who is Jamarius Burton’s cousin.
Carter: Brandin Cummings is all they have committed right now, and it might be all they need. Both players Pitt landed in the transfer portal have multiple years of eligibility, as do returning players like Fede Federiko, Will Jeffress and the Diaz Graham twins. You add in the five freshmen on this roster, and you realize this is a young team, which means you don’t really need to recruit high school super hard for next season. Austin Swartz and Delquan Warren are a pair of four-star guards in the Class of 2024 that Pitt is still in the mix for. Aside from that, I think Noah is right — Jeff and his staff are going to spend most of their recruiting efforts on players from the Class of 2025, because they have a chance to really land a few special talents.
Thank you all for following along! Be sure to send questions on twitter to @_Noahhiles and @Cartercritiques or email them at nhiles@post-gazette.com and ccarter@post-gazette.com. And subscribe to our FREE daily all-sports newsletter, PG Sports Feed.
First Published: June 13, 2023, 2:05 p.m.