Well, this is not exactly coming to Pitt. Or even Seton Hall. It’s not even Rhode Island. DeAndre Kane, once-upon a time of Schenley High and once a player in which Pitt had interest, is headed to the Thundering Herd of Marshall. Playing time is claimed to be the main issue for him. He’ll get it at Marshall. Academic issues, which have dodged Kane for quite some time, is something of a subtext in his decision in my view.
Over the weekend the AAU Tournaments got underway. In case you were unfamiliar with the NCAA logic, coaches are now banned from attending these April tournaments. Why? So the high school students wouldn’t miss as much school for the spring tournaments. The idea being that if the coaches were not there, the interest in these tournaments would be deadened and not happen. Naturally, it hasn’t worked that way.
Instead, it creates a new revenue stream for the promoters who can now sell video of the events to coaches. It may also lead to a new gray area where coaches may hire (unofficially of course) someone they trust to attend and evaluate players. Even shadier, the unofficial “scout” would be able to make direct contact with potential recruits. Maybe let them know that “Coach X” sends his regards or whatever. I’m not impressed or enthused by the rule.
At the Reebok All-American Game in D.C. over the weekend there were a couple Pitt commits playing. Talib Zanna and Dante Taylor made appearances and stood out in their respective games.
Zanna was part of the undercard.
Talib Zanna has turned himself into a player. I saw Zanna last year at the National High School Hoops Festival, and there was certainly potential there, but the big man hadn’t yet grown into his body completely. The 6-8 forward who plays at local hoops power Bishop McNamara has since signed a letter of intent to suit up in the Big East next season with Pitt. Zanna did most of his damage inside, playing aggressively on the glass and showing a developing post game. At this point he is limited to a drop step and baby hook to the middle, but the potential for more is there. I was most impressed by his ability to handle the ball in transition, which he did on several occasions, leading the break for Team Finish.
Zanna finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds. He was named one of the game MVPs
Then there was Dante Taylor in the prime game.
Taylor went to work in the first half, netting 16 of his game high 26 points before the break in action. There wasn’t a question that he was the most physically imposing and gifted player on the floor during the game, getting his baskets on a variety of thunderous dunks in the lane and the a pair of spot up three’s on the wing. Having only seen video of Taylor in the past, I was most impressed with the big man’s motor. He hustled up the court on seemingly every play (rare in these kinds of games) and overall has good speed for a dude packing 220+ onto his frame. With Pittsburgh losing Sam Young and DeJuan Blair there is no question that Taylor will be starting from day one when he arrives on campus and this performance indicates the rook will handle himself just fine in the Big East.
Taylor also shared in MVP honors in the game. Taylor shot clutch free throws at the end of the game to clinch it for his team — very promising.
Pitt’s 2010 verbal, Isiah Epps, was in Pittsburgh for the Jam Fest. He does not lack for confidence in his game and has a vision for his future.
Epps can’t wait to take the court at Pitt — even if one of his goals is not to stay a Panther for long.
“I want to make them No. 1 in the nation,” Epps said. “I want to be their leading scorer, lead them in assists, just make them good in everything. I want to be one and done, too. I want to go straight to the NBA after a year.”
There is an instinctive quesy feeling about any kid already thinking NBA. The fact is, most top basketball players envision themselves in the NBA sooner rather than later. That’s where their dream is. The pros. So, hopefully his game is really that good.
I guess your ideal player thinks he’s “one and done”, but major conference competition convinces him otherwise, and he stays a couple years to get better.
This is probably a minority opinion, but I’d rather have Pitt be an average to good team in the Big East without recruiting many kids who even think they may be “one and done”.
And I’m not blaming or labelling Epps; this is more a of a general issue I’m raising. I’m sure this specific kid is just giving voice to his dreams and who can fault him for that? I’m just a bit too old-school to want to see a parade of kids “matriculate” here for one year.
What’s also sad is that it’s impossible for Dixon to be honest with a recruit like Epps and say “John Wall……one and done. You, not so much.”
Hugh, I’m with you. In my opinion, having a number of one and doners changes the character of the school. This doesn’t seem to bother UConn and a number of other schools, however.
I also agree that building a program around “one and dones” isn’t a sound strategy to remain consistent…unless of course you’re UNC, in which case the best players somehow inevitably flock to chapel hill.
I think you meant dogged.
I think the optimum would be is a good mix of these solid players who will stay 3 or 4 years along with a handful of ‘one and done’ or ‘two and adieu'(I just made that up.)
Lastly, it appears that both Taylor and Zanna prefer uptempo …. as I assume Gil Brown, Wannamaker, Woodall, Gibbs and Dwight Miller do .. next yearmay be different in a couple of ways.
i think just about all players prefer uptempo, but don’t hold your breath waiting for that at Pitt.
They could have run more this year, even with the Dixon reins held tight, but Blair never learned to throw outlet passes. He liked to grab those rebounds and hold them and flex a bit and wasn’t really interested in firing an Unseld-type pass upcourt to a guard with momentum. But that’s nitpicking…..I could live without the outlets because at least he was dominating the boards.
My fondest memory however is when UConn came to the Pete with B Gordon and Omekufor and jumped out to a 14 pt lead, but Pitt clawed back highlighted by a Jaron Brown steal right in from of Calhoun late in the game, .. and even though Jaron wasn’t known for his speed, he was not going to be denied and drove all the way for a 3 pt play … Gordon and the other Husky guard couldn’t get to him until he made the layup.
I just hope the program’s personality doesn’t change too much, and I doubt that it will.
I have no problem with some “one and doners” as long as they are high character kids which seems to exemplify Pitt players for the most part. You need them to get to the mountain and to ultimately win the fight once there.
We don’t get to the Elite 8 nor have a chance to play to go to the Final this year without a player (Blair) who has left early. I guarantee you that any of the players in these past 8 years would gladly have taken “one and doners” to have a better chance to get the prize.
I am not satisfied with keeping a ‘status quo’ of good teams at the expense of not incorporating “one and doners.” Also it is my belief that JD has come to that conclusion as well. Blair and most likely Epps confirms it.
I believe Chas told us about this option around the time that Shady declared, so to answer Reed’s question, a two-year degree is unnecessary. Also, I would punch the Chancellor and Provost in their faces if he ever decided to offer an Associate’s Degree at Pitt. I hope that after lengthy and lucrative careers a dozen or so years from now, we can also count Larry, Revis, Shady, and DeJuan as alumni.
What would disappoint me more would be if the graduation rate dropped for the players who are otherwise at Pitt for 4 or 5 years. At that point, I would find it difficult to argue that we have not compromised some of our academics for athletics. For example, UNC and Duke are both elite programs with players who leave early, but they still graduate a respectable percentage of players. As much as people bag on the rigors of a degree in fields like Sociology or Administration of Justice, it is still a degree and makes them more marketable than a high school diploma.
“Well, Mr. Blair. The work day begins at 8:00 am and ends at 5:00 pm. You are expected to show up for work every day.”
“Say, what?”
Though, I would love to see DeJuan supplement his income by teaming with Max Talbot to drop a new A & L Motors commercial. Max could show him what the “Superstar Treatment” is all about.
All DeJaun would have to do is learn the lines, “Joookajoojoo joookajoojoo.”
Be careful what you wish for. Those elite players come with a price and my guess is you won’t be nearly as proud of Pitt’s program if it becomes a revolving door for those type of players.
I think it’s fine for the occasional kid to leave early because the NBA is calling. Blair was right to leave and get paid and he wasn’t hyped as a short-term player coming in. I’m just hoping Dixon isn’t interested in short-term players every year, but like I said, that’s probably a minority opinion.
I don’t think that you are in a minority…at least not until Pitt loses a few games and has to struggle to make the NCAA tourney. (LOL)
I question whether Dixon has changed his philosophy. He’ll have to recruit a greater number of players every year. The ones that remain, presumably, are not the (NBA) stars. (Young and Gray counter that argument.)
To me, college sports lose their appeal when the team is comprised of mercenaries instead of students who later serve as ambassadors for the university.
