Pittsburgh Basketball: What's next following Jamie Dixon's departure?
Pittsburgh basketball has the opportunity for an NCAA appearance in Kevin Stallings’ first season on the job.
The Pittsburgh Panthers finished last year with a 21-12 overall record and a 9-9 record in the ACC. But there is a new head coach in town after Jamie Dixon bolted Pittsburgh for his alma mater, TCU.
Kevin Stallings has taken over the reins for the foreseeable future. Stallings spent 17 years as the head coach of Vanderbilt and six years with Illinois State. Between the two, he finished with a 455-283 record, reaching the NCAA Tournament nine times.
The Panthers appear to be in good hands, but only time will tell if Stallings can match Dixon’s production.
Stallings inherits a strong team that has the potential for an NCAA Tournament appearance this year. The prize of coaching the team this year will be getting Michael Young and Jamel Artis for their senior year. Both of these players are beasts and can carry Pittsburgh through a tough ACC schedule. The seniors have the offensive ability to score whenever called upon.
Sheldon Jeter returns to the frontcourt after he saw his production increase dramatically from his sophomore to junior year. Chris Jones and Cameron Johnson return to the backcourt adding size to an already tall rotation. Ryan Luther will find himself minutes as well.
Damon Wilson got the call during his freshman year to gain experience and prove he has potential.
Jonathan Milligan is back as well after playing just four games last year, but he definitely made those games count and has an opportunity to prove more.
Like many other ACC teams, Pittsburgh has quite a few new players. It seems everyone wants a shot at playing in the loaded conference. Crisshawn Clark is transferring in after playing JUCO in California. Four-star point guard Justice Kithcart has the promise to be a four year type of guy with Pitt.
Rozelle Nix is a very big man. He is the only player on the roster over 6-foot-9. He weighs in at 300 pounds. He could be a physical force inside after transferring from a junior college.
Corey Manigault is the final player likely to crack the rotation. He is a three star power forward, who adds depth to the roster.
Dixon used a large rotation last year and it appears Stallings will do the same. He’s got a lot of talent on this team, which will help keep his players fresh through a daunting season.
Dec 13, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Damon Wilson (3) dribbles the ball as Morehead State Eagles forward Ronnye Beamon (25) defends during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Point guard: Damon Wilson
James Robinson was the floor general last year on this team, but with him graduating it’s time for someone else to step in.
This is Damon Wilson’s time to shine. While he was included in the rotation in 2015-16, he didn’t play all that much.
Then again, he was just a freshman and had to wait his turn.
Wilson is a great combo guard for this Panthers offense, as he’s got great size at 6-foot-5. Due to his length and size, he has the ability to break into opposing defenses and finish over taller defenders.
The biggest thing Wilson can give to this team right now is vocal leadership. He proved last year that he has great communication skills to become the team’s top lead guard. He’ll likely end up as a four year player just like Robinson was.
Mar 10, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Chris Jones (12) shoots the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Joel Berry II (2) and Tar Heels forward Brice Johnson (11) defend in the second half during day three of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. The Tar Heels won 88-71. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Shooting guard: Chris Jones
Chris Jones had the fourth most minutes on Pittsburgh last year. He had a dip in production from his sophomore to junior year, but still remains the choice to start here nonetheless. Overall, he is a good shooter.
Jones is a big shooting guard at 6-foot-6, 215 pounds. With Damon Wilson and Jones in the backcourt, Pittsburgh will create matchup problems for smaller shooting guards on the defensive end. Jones has great athleticism and is seen as a slasher.
He can make himself more notable by bumping up his free throw shooting and being effective from beyond the arc. His experience will pay off, as he’ll be able to out battle freshman guards across the NCAA.
Mar 18, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward Jamel Artis (1) shoots while guarded by Wisconsin Badgers forward Ethan Happ (22) during the first half of the game in the first round in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Small forward: Jamel Artis
Jamel Artis has had a great career with the Panthers and he looks to make his senior season even better.
Artis has developed his game to become the complete package. He’s got the ability to score in the post and also hit shots from the outside. Last year, he shot a very solid 36 percent from deep, down three percent from the year before. We clearly know he can take a defender inside and out, which is a necessity to have nowadays on any team.
He competes hard on the defensive end. Due to his length, he can create havoc in the passing lanes.
He shot just under 80 percent from the free throw line while dishing out three assists and grabbing 4.8 boards per contest.
Artis has the ability to become one of the top forwards in the ACC this year.
Mar 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward Michael Young (2) dunks the ball against the Syracuse Orange in the second half during day two of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. The Panthers won 72-71. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Power forward: Michael Young
It’s hard to decide which player is the heart and soul of this team – it’s between Jamel Artis and Michael Young. But this is a good problem to have. Young is a lot like Artis in that he can pretty much do whatever is asked. The best thing about both of these guys is that they are very coachable players and are very intelligent.
Young is a beast inside and his numbers will get even better during his senior year. He went for 15.7 points and 6.9 boards per game last year. He also averaged 2.3 assists per game, proving his ability to make plays and have a high basketball IQ.
Young is going to bring a lot of leadership to this team. Like Artis, he has the potential to become one of the best forwards in the conference. Both have the potential to find themselves on the All-ACC teams at the end of the year.
Young’s inside touch along with his mid-range game give him the ability to stretch a defense out. He’s got great size and toughness that helps him show up on the stat sheet every game.
Mar 18, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward Sheldon Jeter (21) reacts during the second half of the game in the first round against the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Center: Sheldon Jeter
What Pittsburgh lacks is height at the center position. They’ve got great size at the guard and forward positions, but the lack of length at the center position can end up hurting them. Michael Young may end up playing the center position at 6-foot-9. But because he is such an asset at the four, they may want to keep him at his regular position and give another big man the shot at the five.
That’s where Sheldon Jeter is useful. Jeter went for 8.1 points and 4.8 boards per game last year, so he clearly has the ability to have an impact. The question is how much of an impact can he make at the center spot given that he’s only 6-foot-8.
The ability to play the center position will fit him well because he’s willing to do the dirty work. This will include crashing the glass and not taking a play off. Whether he moves over the power forward spot or stays at center, he’s primed for a big year and will fit smoothly in this rotation.
Mar 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward Ryan Luther (4) shoots the ball over Syracuse Orange guard Trevor Cooney (10) in the first half during day two of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The Reserves
As mentioned before, Jamie Dixon used a large rotation last year. Kevin Stallings did the same with Vanderbilt, so it appears that he will continue that trend at Pittsburgh.
The lack of size at center could be covered up if Rozelle Nix is ready to accept the challenge. He stands in at 6-foot-11 300 pounds. He’s a physically daunting task for any defense to contain and has the talent to make an impact right away.
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Ryan Luther will hear his number called after an effective shooting season last year. He shot 44 percent from three and 58 percent overall. He is coming off averaging 5.2 points and three boards per contest. Another big on the team who can shoot gives Pittsburgh depth at this spot and consistency to run a spread offense.
Cameron Johnson is another big guard on the team, stepping in at 6-foot-7. He saw a decent amount of minutes last year and made the most of it. While playing just 11.7 minutes a game, Johnson averaged 4.8 points and 1.8 boards. Those numbers will easily increase with an expanded role.
Jonathan Milligan played in just four games last season but showed flashes of potential. He has a quick first step giving him the edge over a majority of the defenders he will face. He played his first two years at Kilgore College.
Corey Manigault may see some floor time, but there is already a loaded frontcourt with Jamel Artis and Michael Young handling most of the minutes. Justice Kitchcart will be a true freshman this year and likely to backup Damon Wilson to start the year. If Kitchcart can show promise, he may sneak into the lineup late into the season.
Crisshawn Clark will also be included in the rotation if he can make the quick transition.
This team has the talent to make a run, but the coaching change always has the possibility to hurt the current roster. Both players and coaches will have to learn how to adapt to one another if they want a beneficial season.
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