Pitt Men's Basketball Midsummer Recruiting Guide
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) - As the summer AAU basketball circuit comes to a close, the college basketball recruiting landscape has become one giant cluster.
Thousands of scholarship offers have been dealt to the nation's top young talent, and Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon has contributed to the mess.
Facing criticism for a number of recruiting mishaps in the past seven years, Dixon will look to rebound with the class of 2016 and beyond. He's reportedly reached out to dozens of youngsters in recent months, and at least 20 have received scholarship offers.
Below is a list of high school seniors (and one transfer) who Dixon and his staff are reportedly pursuing to join the program. All ratings mentioned are according to Rivals.com.
Corey Manigault, PF (6-8, 225) - Manigault committed to the Panthers in March when Dixon also still retained a commitment from Mustapha Heron, but Heron re-opened his recruitment and Manigault is now one of four anticipated seniors who will sign with Pitt by the winter. Manigault is a gritty and strong low-block presence that Pitt fans haven't seen since Nasir Robinson. He is a 3-star rated no. 128 nationally in the class of 2016 with offers from Xavier, Temple, Wake Forest, VCU and others. Manigault is currently sidelined with a bone fracture in his foot.
Cassius Winston, PG (6-0, 165) - Last year, the elite prospect Pitt was in the running for was Cheick Diallo. This year, it appears to be Winston, a 4-star point guard and the 28th-best player in the class. Winston, a product of Detroit, plays AAU ball for The Family, which was formerly coached by current Pitt assistant Marlon "Smoke" Williamson. Winston's top five (in no order): Pitt, Michigan, Michigan State, Harvard and Stanford.
Adonis De La Rosa, C (6-11, 250) - De La Rosa spent his freshman year at St. John's University last season, but he was deemed a "partial qualifier" by the NCAA and was limited to just practicing with the team. Adam Zagoria reported in November that De La Rosa's SAT scores were disputed by a third party, leading to his ineligibility. De La Rosa picked St. John's over Pitt and South Carolina in 2013. His brother, Joey, a rising senior who also played at St. John's, decided to transfer alongside Adonis in the spring. Adonis was the 2013-14 New York Daily News Queens Player of the Year and rated a 3-star. He attended Queens powerhouse Christ the King, which produced former Panther Mark McCarroll, and played for the NY Rens, which nurtured Heron.
Xavier Simpson, PG (5-11, 165) - Simpson was named first team all-tournament in July at the Nike Peach Jam, one of the nation's most heralded annual AAU tournaments. Simpson is a 4-star point guarded rated no. 88 overall. ESPN's Paul Biancardi tweeted the following after watching him in the Peach Jam: "Xavier Simpson might be the best PG in the country who gets the least attention. Tough & cerebral and WINS!"
Tony Carr, PG (6-5, 185)/Lamar Stevens, F (6-6, 215) - Known as a "package deal" early in the recruiting process, the duo from Roman Catholic in Philadelphia (the same high school that produced Brad Wanamaker) no longer promises it will attend the same college. Stevens, a 4-star rated no. 96, says his top five schools in no order are Indiana, Marquette, Villanova, Pitt and Temple. Pitt was in the top 11 for Carr, rated a 4-star and no. 53, but Carr did not include the Panthers in his top five. Temple is the only school to appear on both players' updated lists.
Sagaba Konate, PF/C (6-8, 220) - A local recruit from tiny Kennedy Catholic in Mercer County (by way of Mali), Konate has a formidable frame but suffers from a lack of exposure. Konate is not ranked by Rivals, but he is listed as the no. 127 overall recruit by 247Sports.com. Some say he would be better off to attend a prep school, where he would be faced with stiffer competition and experience a larger emphasis on basketball. What's most interesting about his recruitment: it could very well come down to Pitt and West Virginia.
Kassoum Yakwe, PF (6-7, 210) - Another Mali native, this one attends Our Savior New American on Long Island, which graduated Pitt freshman Damon Wilson. Yakwe is a 4-star and rated no. 57. He earned all-tournament second team at the Peach Jam, but he projects too similarly to Manigault to reasonably believe he'll end up at Pitt.
Dylan Painter, PF/C (6-10, 215) - Painter is a polished big from Hershey with 18 offers, many of which are from ACC schools. He is not ranked and will have to grow into his frame and improve his interior defense.
Charlie Moore, PG (6-0, 150) - If Winston and Simpson commit elsewhere, Moore might end up at Pitt, although the Chicago-native Moore has a hometown offer from Illinois. Pitt is in desperate need of a true point guard, and Moore, a 3-star rated no. 131, has a sneaky handle in the open floor and is an excellent distributor.
Jagan Mosely, SG (6-2, 200) - As it stands right now, Pitt is Mosely's best offer and Mosely could see the floor early in his career if he were to commit to the Panthers. Mosely, a college-ready 3-star rated no. 115, plays under Bob Hurley at St. Anthony, the same school that produced Tray Woodall. He also plays for NJ Playaz AAU, which produced Michael Young, Woodall, Chris Jones and a slew of others who attended Pitt.
Taurean Thompson, PF (6-9, 220)- Thompson, another St. Anthony and Playaz product, is smooth and has range on offense, and he is disruptive on defense and rebounds with authority. It is unclear if Pitt has offered or just expressed interest, but if it has, it will be the top program to offer. It would be a blessing for Dixon and company if things remain that way, although he and Manigault share similar roles.
Eli Wright, SG (6-4, 185) - Wright, from Kentucky, has an impressive list of offers, and Pitt may have offered the versatile wing, a 3-star rated no. 125, too late.
Schnider Herard, C (6-10, 255) - Pitt not only swept in too late with its offer for this 4-star rated no. 41 overall, but Herard is from Texas (by way of Haiti), and too many bible belt schools have offered for him to waste his breath on the Panthers.
Maliek White, PG (6-2, 170) - Boston College and Cincinnati are the only other decent schools to offer. Local schools such as Virginia, Virginia Tech, VCU, George Mason and Richmond have all held off from offering the high-flying athlete.
Curtis Jones, PG (6-4, 175) - Jones, from Huntington Prep in West Virginia, is an elite point guard and an outside shooting threat. Pitt offered the 4-star who is rated no. 60 nationally just weeks ago, and schools that have been in touch for a longer period, such as Virginia, NC State, Maryland and Georgetown, might have the edge.
Marques Bolden, C (6-10, 240) - Bolden is a 5-star who is ranked no. 14 and from Texas. It is unclear if Pitt has offered or just inquired but the Panthers will be crossed off his list for obvious reasons.
Andrew Jones, SG (6-4, 180) - Jones is also from Texas, but many top schools that have offered already have commitments from wings. It is still highly unlikely he shows interest in Pitt.
Tyler Cook, PF (6-8, 240) - Pitt will have to beat out Virginia, Florida and the hometown Missouri for this big man from St. Louis who checks in at the same size as Manigault.
Tony Bradley, PF/C (6-10, 235) - Pitt is one of 33 big-time offers for Bradley, a 4-star from Florida rated no. 33 in his class.
Maverick Rowan, SG/F (6-5, 180) - The one-time 4-star Pitt commit is now down to West Virginia, St. John's, NC State and Louisville and will announce soon.
Mustapha Heron, SG (6-5, 200) - Heron, a 5-star rated no. 19, is no longer considering Pitt, but maintains a list of SMU, Mississippi State, Maryland, St. John's, Alabama, Auburn and Marquette.
Noteworthy underclassmen:
2017
Ike Eke, PF (6-10, weight unknown) - Eke, an up-and-coming rim protector, plays for The Family in Detroit alongside Winston.
Jarrod Simmons, PF (6-7, 205) - Simmons is originally from Moon Township, Pa., but now attends Cushing Academy in Massachusetts. He has offers from Providence, St. Bonaventure, Texas and VCU.
DJ Harvey, SG (6-5, 180) - Harvey is a 5-star rated no. 17 nationally in his class. He attends DeMatha Catholic, where James Robinson went.
2018
Curtis Aiken Jr., PG (5-11, weight unknown) - Son of former Pitt standout and Pitt Basketball color analyst at 93-7 The Fan Curtis Aiken Sr., Curtis Aiken Jr. will lead a stacked North Allegheny squad for the next couple years in WPIAL play unless he elects prep school. Tennessee has offered Aiken Jr., but Pitt has not yet budged.
Robby Carmody, SG (6-4, 185) - Carmody is a ridiculously athletic swingman with good footwork and handle. Penn State and Duquesne have offered Carmody, but Pitt hasn't. Prep.com announced on Twitter last week that Carmody "may be a top 50."
Mamadou Doucoure, C (6-9, 220) - Another Mali native, Doucoure attends Our Savior New American, which sent Damon Wilson to Pitt. He has offers from Pitt, UConn and St. John's.