Pitt Men’s Basketball Transfer Portal & Recruitment Review

Nelly went to Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center for high school, so you better believe this man will be playing with a hometown buff. His team finished first in the Patriot League last season while Nelly averaged 15-3-4, leading his team in scoring. He will definitely be making PLAYS! Nelly has an impressive quick first step that catches defenders off guard on the perimeter. Having that one skill alone can create so much opportunity for your offense, and he’s got the basketball IQ to use that effectively. 

Nelly Cummings Senior Year Highlights 2021/22 || NCAA D1 || Colgate University

He’s got a variety of finishes at the rim, including a floater, reverses, and his overall aggressiveness is what stands out. His ball handling is elite, in particular I REALLY LIKE his curl/in-and-out/hesitation move. It creates a lot of space, and allows him to keep defenders on their toes. He’s got a nice little step back in the bag as welI, so don’t be surprised when you see this man drilling shots with hands in his face. He makes those. I will be very interested in the type of sets Capel and the coaching staff will provide for him. I can see him thrive with the ball in his hands running pick and roll sets or even ISO’s late in the shot clock. 

If he can lower his TO’s from 2.3 a game and keep increasing that assist average, he can have a very successful season with the Panthers.

Next transfer up, we got Blake Hinson; a 6’7 F from Wichita, KS, transferring in from Iowa State University and weighing in at 230 lbs.

Blake Hinson Ole Miss Rebels 2019-2020 Highlight Montage | NEWEST IOWA STATE CYCLONE

When I said these new players are hungry and fresh, the one player who really embodies that statement is Blake Hinson. He’s been through a lot. After he transferred to Iowa State from Ole Miss, he missed the entire season due to a medical condition. After that, TJ Otzelberger became the head coach at Iowa State and Blake decided to leave the program. So naturally, my man has GOT to be itching to get back on the court in front of the crowd. I believe he can do some things that’ll have an immediate impact for the Panthers, if he can stay healthy. 

Blake’s game is all-around, providing versatility as a knockdown catch and shooter, while also being able to guard positions 1-3. He can offer the Panthers better spacing on the perimeter as a reliable option on the kick out, allowing Nelly Cummings to create. He’s decisive going downhill, with the option of a 1-2 dribble pull up in his back pocket. He runs in transition and will not hesitate to pull up if he gets a good look. 

Hinson averaged 10-5-2 in his sophomore season in the SEC with Ole Miss. For as much of a good shooter Blake is, he only shot 32% from the field that year. If he can improve on his efficiency, cut his turnovers down, and be a leader on the court, I’m sure he’ll have no problem contributing for the Panthers.

Our third and final transfer is Fede Federiko. Born in Cairo, Egypt; raised in Helsinki, Finland; transferring in from Northern Oklahoma College, he is a mobile 6’11 F/C weighing in at 220 lbs.

2022 6'11 F Fede Federiko - NOC Tonkawa

Fede will be a solid pick & roll forward and a natural BEAST on the boards. He’s got a good 1-2 dribble drop-step that combines with his upper body strength to bully opponents underneath the basket. He'll be able to keep up with the bigs in the ACC, as he runs the floor impressively for his size and provides rim protection; averaging 2 blocks a game. If the Panthers were to ever go with a small lineup you can slot him into the center position, no problem. He will be providing much needed size for a roster with just two players over 6-7.

Federiko will be playing to prove himself as he is still young and inexperienced in NCAA D-1 competition. This season we’ll be looking forward to seeing how he can assert himself in the ACC, and his further development on the offensive end. His potential is promising with Capel adding that he is “a nice compliment on the interior to John Hughley”. He’s got three seasons of eligibility with the Panthers and a NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American to his name, so I’m thinking with Fede, sheeesh, we might have a diamond in the rough here!

Also this man has one of the coolest names to ever roll off the tongue, so I’m really hoping he becomes a fan favorite. I mean just say it. Fede Federiko. Definitely in the Top 5 for smoothest athlete names.

Now, onto the recruits. 

Up next we got the Diaz twins! Jorge and Guillermo Diaz are versatile bigs from Spain, standing at 6’11, and weighing in at 195 lbs. 

jorge diaz highlights

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the next Gasol brothers.  They will be the first duo of brothers to play for the Panthers since the Antigua brothers in the mid-90’s.

Adding more depth with size to the roster and not one but TWO bigs that can drain the 3 off the dribble, I’m sold. They’ve got natural chemistry together that is very noticeable on and off the court, which coach Capel believes will translate into things that will help the team tremendously as a whole. 

Jorge is more of a scorer, and I say this lightly, like Durant, whereas he plays like a guard. He likes to isolate defenders to get the shot he wants from all 3 levels. He led his team in scoring averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game; shooting 44% from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, Guillermo is more of a rebounder/stretch 4 kind of player. He'll be a reliable option for the kickout, provide rim protection, and crash the boards. He averaged 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game; shooting 32% from 3 point range.

They will indeed cause mismatches, spreading the floor, allowing standout sophomore John Hughley and Fede Federiko the opportunities for offensive rebounds. This is something the Panthers used to be known for back in the Jamie Dixon era with Dejuan Blair, so it’ll be interesting to see if coach Capel can institute that ‘Pittsburgh’ physical mentality that fans were accustomed to a decade ago.

It seems that the coaching staff this year are actively trying to fix the issues that led to unsuccess the past couple of years and finally create a team that can compete in the top 5 of the ACC. The Panthers can only improve after last season’s 11-21 performance, especially with the addition of 4 bigger players and a natural scorer. 

The Panthers have 3 open scholarships left for next season, with one player committed. Overall I’d say this is a W for the Panthers, and definitely a big step in the right direction for the future of the program.