Column: Retaining talent a key for Pitt, Dixon

In Jamie Dixon’s recent recruiting classes, many signees didn’t meet the esteemed standard that the Panthers’ coach has cultivated since taking on Pitt’s head coaching position in 2003.

Dixon hasn’t retained a full class of commits since 2004, and lately, that trend has spun out of control.

Six of Dixon’s 11 commits from the 2009-2011 recruiting classes had a difficult time adapting to Dixon’s on-court system, and they parted ways with the program in the early years of their careers. Additionally, Trey Zeigler, who came to Pitt in 2012, transferred to Texas Christian University last spring, and Steven Adams, Pitt’s most highly touted recruit in decades, was selected 12th in last year’s NBA Draft.

Now, Dixon appears to have his best to-be-sophomore class in years, and in the coming weeks, he must work to retain it, as well as his elder players.

His current freshmen — Michael Young, Jamel Artis and Josh Newkirk — along with transfers Joseph Uchebo and Derrick Randall — have proven to fit the Pitt mold, a rare trait among members of Pitt freshmen since 2009.

Newkirk had an outstanding freshman campaign, averaging eight points per game in Pitt’s final eight games. Artis has drawn comparisons to former three-year starter and ultimate go-getter Nasir Robinson. Young, a starter who averaged six points and four rebounds per contest, could’ve made more of a late-season impact had he not been plagued by a lower-back injury.

But there are several potential scenarios Pitt followers should keep in mind as the offseason pushes forward.

Artis was a valuable asset to Dixon’s offense last season. But unless Dixon moves Young to the center position next season and starts Artis at power forward, it makes little sense for Artis, a reserve at power forward this past season, to stay at Pitt.

Dixon may be hesitant to put Young at the center, though, in fear that the 6-foot-8 teenager might threaten to leave the same way that former Pitt center Khem Birch did in 2011. Young went to Twitter early in ACC play, saying “Never been told not to shoot the ball til I got here [shaking my head],” and he certainly wouldn’t smile if he were asked to play a position that limits outside jumpers even more.

Moreover, it’s hard to imagine that any college player would choose to sit in favor of another member of his class, especially when Artis’ talent level is accounted for.

While Newkirk played a lot at the wing this past season, he is a natural point guard. It’s all but set in stone that James Robinson will claim the starting point guard role again as a junior next season, and Newkirk may not want to give away three full seasons to sit behind Robinson.  

Newkirk, a native of Raleigh, N.C., gained notoriety throughout ACC play, and if he desires to start immediately, he may look to play somewhere closer to home.

Chris Jones, who will be a redshirt sophomore in the fall, is another player Dixon cannot afford to lose.

Jones missed many practices this season because of an injury suffered to his shooting hand before the season, and as a result, Pitt fans were unable to see his true value.

Before Jones sustained his injury, his scoring capabilities were on display at the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Pro-Am last summer, as he scored almost 16 points per game. Jones was guarded by Pitt teammates, as well as guards from West Virginia, Robert Morris, Duquesne and other schools.

Dixon said that Jones will likely get surgery on his hand in the offseason, and barring an interrupted recovery, Jones could blossom into a Lamar Patterson replacement in the near future. In fact, he’s my breakout candidate for 2014-2015.

To add to the task at hand, Dixon and his staff have expressed recent interest in adding yet another player to the list of his 2014 signees.

This is a head-scratcher because the staff will likely meet its 13-scholarship limit when newest commit Tyrone Haughton, a 6-foot-9 junior college center, signs with the Panthers as early as April 16. In other words, if Pitt signs another player, a current member of Dixon’s squad will be asked to walk on or leave the team.

Pitt nearly added another incoming freshman in Kobe Eubanks, a shooting guard from New York, but Eubanks committed to Baylor over Pitt last Tuesday — the same day that 6-foot-9 junior-college center Justin Jamison chose Texas Tech over Pitt.

It’s also still a possibility that Detrick Mostella, who verbally committed to Pitt last summer but never joined the team because of undisclosed reasons, could become a Panther in the fall, too. 

After all, Mostella’s Twitter bio still reads: “Committed to Pitt.”

But considering the projected paths of Pitt’s young players, it makes little sense to sign a fifth player, and Dixon should probably stay out of the 2014 recruiting game for a minute unless he’s after the next Michael Jordan.

Write to Ryan at rjb80@pitt.edu.