Jeff Capel Provides Injury Update on Pitt Duo

Pitt Panthers head coach Jeff Capel provided an injury update on two players.

Jan 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel reacts on the sidelines against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers had two serious injuries last season, that kept those players out for either the entire or most of the season.

Junior forward Jorge Diaz Graham suffered an ankle injury and elected to get surgery in early February, which ended his season. Redshirt freshman forward Papa Amadou Kante suffered a knee injury in September 2023, keeping him out the entire season.

Diaz Graham also underwent surgery in late May to repair a core muscle injury that put him out another eight weeks.

Panthers head coach Jeff Capel provided updates on both players at a recent press conference and said that they're both on the right track to getting fully healthy.

"Jorge is going to the doctor today," Capel said. "He's fully cleared with the foot. He had a sports hernia that he had to have a little surgery on and that's the last part. Hopefully he's cleared with that. He's doing everything except 5-on-5. He's doing everything, he's been doing everything for a while. It's just the 5-on-5 part."

"Papa, same thing," Capel said. "Doing everything except 5-on-5 right now. No contact, but everything else, every drill, all the stuff that we're doing. Our roster is intact. Unless something comes along, but we're not looking."

Diaz Graham played in just 16 games last season, with his final game coming on Jan. 16 at home in a loss to rival Syracuse. He averaged 10.4 minutes, 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 36.4% from the field, 29.0% from behind the arc and 78.9% from the foul line.

He played all of the 2022-23 season as a true freshman, alongside his twin brother, Guillermo Diaz Graham. He averaged 9.2 minutes, 2.9 points and 2.2 rebounds per game and shot 32.9% from the field, 36.4% from 3-point range and 75.0% from the free throw line.

Kante originally committed to Michigan, but would choose to receive a release from his letter of intent in April 2023 and then commit to Pitt in May 2023.

He came into Pitt as a four-star and a top 100 recruit in the Class of 2023, joining the likes of guards Jaland Lowe and Bub Carrington, plus three-star forward Marlon Barnes Jr.

Kante stands at 6-foot-10, hails from Dakar, Senegal and played high school basketball for South Kent Prep School in Kent, Conn.

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