New Frontcourt Transfer Pitt Could Use

The Pitt Panthers can still use some depth in the front court.

PITTSBURGH -- With two scholarships still open, the Pitt Panthers could still make a splash in the transfer portal this summer.

They added prolific scorers and fantastic athletes in former High Point Panther Zack Austin and former Rhode Island Ram Ishmael Leggett, which leaves two obvious needs for them to address with their remaining two scholarships - a reserve big man and a veteran ball-handler. 

A big-name big-man who began his career at Kansas - Ernest Udeh, a 6'11 former five-star recruit in the class of 2022 - could help them fill one of those needs. He entered the transfer portal late this week after Hunter Dickinson - a consensus All-American center at Michigan -  committed to the Jayhawks, and should begin to hear from schools all around the country at all levels soon, if he hasn't already. Ideally, Pitt would be one of those schools. 

Udeh's talent makes him a somewhat obvious fit for just about every team in the country - there are very few programs in good enough position to be shooing away former five-star sophomores. But his natural position as a true center makes Pitt and Udeh a more logical marriage than others

Late last season, the Panthers struggled to contain bigger opponents. Federiko Federiko is a strong interior presence, especially defensively,  and Guillermo Diaz Graham was capable in certain spots but against teams like Duke, their thin ranks in the frontcourt were exposed by frontcourts with both size and skill.

Often, Federiko would be saddled with foul trouble early and Pitt would be forced to turn to the thin, green freshmen Diaz Graham and even his brother, Jorge, for help when things got desperate.  

At 6'11 and 250 pounds, Udeh would give Pitt some muscle in the paint that is sorely needed for when Federiko needs a rest or racks up early fouls. He's a capable screener who shot reliably around the rim, making 75% of his field goals last season. It would also take pressure of Guillermo Diaz Graham to be a true center and open up opportunities for him to play the four in certain spots, where he could use his impressive ball-handling, passing and shooting abilities.  

He just entered the transfer portal and Pitt would be far from the only school going after them, but the Panthers can make a compelling pitch to Udeh. A frontcourt rotation of Guillermo Diaz Graham, Federiko Federiko and Ernest Udeh would give this team the kind of depth that would allow everyone to thrive. 

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