He is not going to be an immediate impact player at Pitt.
Khem Birch had a great performance at the McDonald’s All-American game last night. There are a lot of reasons to be really excited that he is a Pitt guy and will be on the squad. He will be a great player. But he is not a one-and-done player right now. He is not going to be a pure stud out on the court next year. He still has a ways to go.
Despite the ESPN fawning over Austin Rivers and continual cutaways to Doc Rivers watching his son, Khem Birch ended up as the leading scorer for the West squad with 15 points. He also had 10 rebounds and 6 blocks. Still, no mention in the AP write-up.
The long-sleaved shirt he wore under his jersey made him easy to pick out in the games, but style wise it has to go. There’s no question Birch has hops. He was getting up to try and block anything around the basket. He just finds the ball. 9 of the 10 rebounds were of the offensive variety — which is how he scored the majority of his points. He also could make free throws.
So, there is no question that he surprised a lot of people with the game he had. Especially since in practices, he was looking lost by most accounts.
The practice sessions hadn’t been particularly kind to the 6-foot-8 Pitt commitment, but he was perhaps the biggest story of the game. Birch used his quickness, off the floor, length and rebounding to impact the game on both ends. He finished with team highs of 15 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. Had there been an MVP for the West, Birch surely would have been him.
Dave Telep gives a good explanation for the problems he had in practices (Insider subs):
Khem Birch (Toronto, Ont./Notre Dame) looks a little out of place at practice. You know why? Because we still haven’t quite warmed to the idea of him being a senior. Birch went back to his original 2011 classification last November and we began counting him as such. However, he doesn’t know the rest of the team and they aren’t as familiar with him presumably because they ran in different age groups during the bulk of Birch’s scholastic career.
Birch is a talented, quiet young man with a big smile. The physical tools are there to be a very good prospect, however, he’s not ready to dominate in the Big East for Pittsburgh next season. He’s more of a prospect than producer at this very moment and that’s a big delineation because of the expectations that he’ll bring to Pitt’s team, especially since he’s Jamie Dixon’s second McDonald’s All-American.
I’m quite sure Dixon is thrilled to have Birch, but he probably understands that his new center is not Jared Sullinger; he’s not wired up that way. Birch needs strength, which will add to his confidence, especially on offense. Next year, as a freshman, expect him to give Pitt a presence as a shot blocker, a big who can run the floor and as he develops in the program, his offensive and rebounding numbers will ascend. Just don’t expect him to sport the Superman cape right from the start.
The eye-poke on Monday might have also had something to do with being out-of-sorts in practice. But there does seem to be a kernel of truth to the fact that Birch did not run in the same circuits and play with and against a lot of the players out there. That unfamiliarity with the teammates, though, was evident when Birch was on the floor. He looked like he was trying to find the place to be on offense, and did not see the ball on that end — unless he was grabbing the board.
“People were doubting me, saying I wasn’t showing nothing,” Birch said after the game, won by the East squad, 111-96 before the largest crowd ever in attendance to watch the McDonald’s All-American game, now in its 34th year.
“I was playing hard. I did the scoring all by myself,” he said, meaning his points didn’t come from set plays, but from rebounds and scrambling for loose balls. He challenged and changed many shots on the defensive end and displayed the unrelenting motor scouts have raved about. Many such scouts were on hand this night, as well as 19,909 fans.
Birch, 18, has a scholarship to attend University of Pittsburgh next year. He said here this week that he just recently picked up basketball, after playing football as a wide receiver all his childhood.
He promised he will get better, much better, as he picks up the nuances of the game. Pittsburgh, he said, is in for something special when he joins the NCAA team next season.
Notice the “doubting” underdog stuff. Sound familiar? Yeah, he’s going to fit right in with the rest of the Pitt players.
“That’s what happens when people are doubting me,” Birch said after the game.
“They were saying I was doing nothing. I told them it was because of my eye (he was poked in the eye in practice), but they still didn’t believe me. That just made me play even more hard.”
By all accounts, Birch is on the shy, quiet side. He showed a different side after the game.
Quiet all week, Birch came out of his shell big-time afterwards, talking about major plans for his career at Pitt.
Such as: “To become like a saviour, basically to lead the team to the championship,” he said.
“I’m going to work so hard this summer, you don’t even understand. I’m going to be a better player.”
Better than Wednesday? Look out Big East.
Again. I love the potential. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as a starter or at least playing starter minutes by the end of the season.
That said, he needs to put on some weight to bang inside. He also has to show-up in practices, and learn where to be on the court. His offense looks a bit limited — but since he didn’t get many opportunities that was not on a put-back it is hard to say with great certainty.
His leaping and blocking are very instinctive. He will get his share, but he will also get burned a bit, by smarter players in the league who will jump into his body to draw the contact.
He’s a very exciting and high potential player. But despite his own words, he isn’t a savior. At least, not as a freshman.
I liked what I saw. He worked hard and hustled.
I agree that he isnt a one and done. He definately came to the right program. Dixon will have patience with him and bring him along appropriately. Dixon will make him better.
Birch at times seemed awkward in his movement under the rim which I agree seems to have to do more with comfort of players around him than anything. He was scrappy and went hard for every ball. I also loved how he ran the court on breaks. You can tell that when he gets comfortable with the players around him and the pace of the game he is going to be the real deal.
PROGRAMMING NOTE:
There’s a dunkfest and 3 pt. contest on ESPN2 tonight at 9 p.m. ET. – The 23rd Annual State Farm College Slam Dunk &…
Based on the promo that ESPN was running during the McDonald’s AA game, it looks like our own Gilbert Brown may be participating. Might be fun to watch – and dream of what could have been.
Seriously, I was very encouraged by what I saw last night … and believe with his shotblocking / defensive ability that he may work very well in tandem with Dante in the frontcourt.
I really like the look of the team in 2yrs if both Taylor stays for his Senior yr(likely) and Birch for sophmore yr (quite possible). Sr Woodall at the pt, JJ Moore & Patterson at SG/SF. With front court and back court depth (FC: Zanna, Gilbert, Adams; BC: C. Wright, the Johnsons, and Epps/J.Johnson as potentially back-up PGs).
That’d be 2 McD All-Americans and 2 more top-100 players in the starting line-up led by a Senior PG; plus 2 top-100 player and a bevy of solid players on the bench. We’ll be solid next year and it will be fun to see these guys develop and get a yr of playing together. But 2012 would be the year I expect Pitt to be a true powerhouse. Lots to happen in the meantime, but something to look forward to.
Btw, not sure there’s any room to get JJ Rich any minutes going forward…
Chas has a thread on Bond prepping which was posted yesterday morning.
Birch may end up starting by the end of next year but there is certainly no guarantee for that either.
Dante Taylor — 15 pts, 6-11 fg, 3-3 ft, 6 rebs, 1 blk, 1 stl, 2 asts, 1 to, 15 min — Shows good size (big wingspan) and solid agility. Scored a number of baskets but didn’t stand out. Got stuffed by Henson on one dunk attempt. He scored on some jumpers and shots around the basket. A solid prospect but nothing extraordinary.
NBA lottery picks are often based solely on potential. Many, including NBA insiders, question whether that’s good for the players and the NBA’s future. The NBA game has been going downhill since the early-entry rules were relaxed, and teams are paying big guaranteed money to some players who rarely contribute. That’s one reason there might be a push to extend it to 2 or 3 years in the next CBA.
No one is saying that Birch doesn’t have a huge upside and won’t develop into a big star for Pitt. Most are saying just the opposite. But most do know enough about basketball to see that he’s got some work to do. How quickly he does that will determine how quickly he has an impact.
Watching him play against other HS kids, most of lesser strength and athleticism tells you nothing. Remember all the excitement when Taylor, a big man, won the skills competition? He looked pretty good in the 2009 game as well. Let’s see how Birch looks when he goes up against the big boys who are stronger, more experience and have developed their skills. Then, we’ll know for sure. I think that’s all anyone is saying.
Plus, it’s going to take a lot for Jamie to sit a two-year starter (Robinson) and a two-year project (Taylor), which is why many think Birch will start out as a backup to both.
He is a tremendous athlete, but his lack of strength may keep him from contributing as early as some people seem to think he will.
He might be like Aaron Gray. Someone who just gets better year after year.
Not picking on anyone in particular. Just a general observation.
Oh, and I did watch the dunk contest. I saw a giant band-aid above one eye, and a kid who looked like he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do out there after he realized his vision was impaired a bit.
R Ramon started 4 games as a frosh in large part because Antonio Graves, who started 25 games, was the 2 guard. Ramon became the fulltime starter at the two guard the following year when Graves was a senior.
Fields started 4 games a frosh apparently when Carl Krauser was moved to the 2 guard since he started all 33 games for Pitt as a senior (2005-6. Fields became fulltime PG starter as a soph.
I agree that if Birch is good enough, he will start sooner than later but wouldn’t be surprised if it is later.
I ran the downtown Woolworth’s store in Lexington during one of my career iterations. Sky and Mel Turpin were two of my favorite lunch counter customers. Nice kids. And you’re right about the hair. I think he was the inspiration for Kid of Kid ‘n Play.
Walker was able to make a decent living as a pro. Sorry I can’t say the same for Mel, poor guy.
I’m putting a hoop back up for my 7 month old grandson, so I can do it all over again. The wife is increasing the life insurance though. I think she plans on cashing in.
Don’t know if you know, but he committed suicide last year. That’s why I said “poor guy”. Surely one of the bigger busts in the NBA. Many in Lexington thought he was the better player of the Twin Towers, but he didn’t have the same desire and skill as Bowie. Might also have been because he was a local kid.
Bowie was also a sad case. I remembered he averaged a double-double (or close to it) as a freshman and then had to sit out two straight years due to injury … and never was the same.
That ’84 team managed to get to the Final Four, but I think Walker was the only one who had any kind of real pro career. Bowie was hurt most of his, just like during his college days.
I also remmeber the twin towers final game when Georgetown held them to something like 9 points in the entire 2nd half in the Sweet 16.
He’ll get minutes for sure. But look at Fab Melo this year. Its arguable how Boeheim handled that situation, but not arguable that the supposed stud Melo struggled mightily. Now, when you have a clearly gifted (if not yet living up to potential) center in Taylor, the savy vet in Nas and a guy like Zanna — all with more experience — ahead of Birch, no matter how good he is, they’ll ease him into the lineup to some extent. I’d be very surprised if he’s getting starters minutes on a team as talented as Pitt’s in a league as tough as the BE.
But, who knows. Given my (and all of Pitt fandom’s) lack of basketball knowledge, I’m glad Mike’s here to enlighten me.
I remember when Sam played at Pitt and in HS. He was always a man among boys.
Nasir will probly start PF, but not many have noticed/mentioned that he can play SF and Birch/Zanna could play PF. Pitt would dominate the boards. I could realistically see that if Gibbs leaves. A solid lineup of:
PG – Tray Woodall
SG – Moore/Patterson
SF – Robinson
PF – Birch/Zanna
C – Taylor
Not too bad of a lineup. Gibbs’ departure would actually help the team for 2012-13.
link to bebballreportpitt.blogspot.com
I guess your right about not having enough shooters, but the abbreviation SF also refers to Small Forward. Also, I think I remember Zanna having a decent mid range shot when he was getting a lot of playing time. I think the lineup would match up very well against certain teams.
Really like his motor though. He was all over the court and boards, which earned him major PT in the 2nd half over more highly-touted (by ESPN at least) bigs on the West team.
The big side benefit may be that he pushes Taylor to step up to his potential too. Even though Birch may eventually end up at the 4, he’ll likely see time at the 5 because Jamie needs a capable backup for Dante. Having competition like that can only be good for Pitt in the long run.