PITTSBURGH – One other day, one other busy information cycle surrounding the ACC and its member groups. Gamers proceed to enter the switch portal whereas others discover new houses for subsequent season or enter the 2023 NBA Draft. Gamers from Duke, NC State, and Pitt’s curiosity in an Illinois guard are grabbing Wednesday’s headlines.

Duke’s Dariq Whitehead Enters 2023 NBA Draft

Duke ahead Dariq Whitehead is foregoing his remaining collegiate eligibility and declaring for the NBA draft, he introduced on Twitter Wednesday. A 6-foot-7 ahead initially from Newark, New Jersey, Whitehead averaged 8.4 factors and a couple of.4 rebounds in 28 video games (seven begins) for first-year head coach Jon Scheyer. Averaging over 20 minutes per sport, he shot barely higher from three (42.4%) than from the ground on the whole (42.1%) and totaled 21 steals. 

🙏🏾… pic.twitter.com/fFQHXxRl7p

— Dariq whitehead (@dariq_whitehead) March 29, 2023

He began within the Blue Devils’ first matchup towards Pitt, internet hosting the Panthers on Jan. 11 inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. Whitehead scored six factors on 2-of-11 taking pictures and grabbed 5 rebounds. He performed 14 minutes off the bench within the ACC Event assembly, scoring eight factors and including 4 rebounds whereas coping with foul bother. 

The previous five-star recruit received the Naismith Prep Participant of the 12 months Award and was chosen to play within the Mcdonalds All-American sport out of highschool at Montverde Academy in Florida, inserting No. 2 on ESPN’s Prime 100 record behind teammate Dereck Energetic. He ranks twenty fourth in ESPN’s draft prospect rankings, third from his personal program behind Energetic and Kyle Filipowski.

NC State Ahead Greg Gantt Places Identify in Switch Portal

Ahead Greg Gantt has entered his identify into the switch portal after one season at NC State, verbal commits reported Wednesday. The 6-foot-8 redshirt junior transferred to the Wolpack following two seasons at Windfall from 2019-2021. He redshirted the 2021-22 season earlier than turning into a key contributor for the NCAA Event group.

Gantt solely averaged 2.0 factors per sport in 22 appearances however performed steadily on the defensive finish. He began the ultimate 17 video games of the yr and made 18 area targets, two coming from behind the arc. Now trying to find a brand new program, Gantt totaled 10 blocks, 19 steals and grabbed 4.5 rebounds per sport in 17.5 minutes. He made considered one of his two triples towards Pitt on Dec. 2, recording his solely factors of the night time in 14 minutes. The Fayetteville, North Carolina native was a former four-star recruit however by no means averaged greater than 4 factors and three.1 rebounds whereas at Windfall.

“I need to be Greg Gantt after I develop up” pic.twitter.com/3sNVKlvfde

— Windfall MBB (@PCFriarsmbb) August 19, 2020

Pitt Contacts Illinois Switch Guard Jayden Epps

The Panthers reached out to their thirteenth switch prospect because the portal opened in Illinois guard Jayden Epps. Recruiting professional Andrew Slater additionally reported that the freshman guard has heard from fellow ACC colleges Virginia and NC State amongst different high-profile applications. 

The Norfolk, Virginia native performed at Mix Academy in North Carolina throughout his highschool profession, rating because the No. 83 total recruit by ESPN and No. 90 by Rivals. The 6-foot-2 playmaker made 11 begins for the Combating Illini throughout his debut marketing campaign. He averaged 9.5 factors and 1.5 assists in 31 complete video games and scored a career-high 21 factors towards Monmouth within the third sport of the season, taking pictures 8-of-12 from the sector in 24 minutes.

Epps averaged over 24 minutes per sport however solely performed a mixed eight within the remaining two matchups as a result of a concussion suffered in follow on the finish of follow sending him to the hospital.

Coach Brad Underwood addressing the media, on the medical standing of guard Jayden Epps #Illini #Illinois pic.twitter.com/hO0UzEZKiR

— Dante J Furco (@DanteFurco) March 1, 2023

Former Pitt Recruit, Kansas Guard MJ Rice Enters Portal

A former five-star recruit Pitt pursued has additionally entered the portal. Kansas freshman guard MJ Rice is in search of a brand new vacation spot, Jason Jordan reported. He averaged 2.2 factors in 7.5 minutes per sport for the 2022 Nationwide Champions, taking part in in 23 video games. The previous top-40 recruit in response to 247 sports activities joins a listing of over 1,000 names within the portal.

MJ RICE 😛 pic.twitter.com/4b0bATSwPM

— We good? (@gifhawk2) November 11, 2022

Ryan Howerton’s been out to Pittsburgh on numerous events. He’s been out to camp; he was on the town for the Syracuse win final season and he received his most in-depth expertise at Junior Day earlier this yr.

And he made his most up-to-date journey out over the weekend, getting the possibility to take a look at a spring follow — Pitt’s first scrimmage of the spring, no much less. And it’s protected to say the expertise made yet one more lasting impression.

“The go to was actual good,” Howerton advised PSN. “We received to observe the scrimmage, so we received to see them going head-to-head in pads. They appeared like they wished to kill one another on the market. The vitality was loopy.”

Had a good time on the College of Pittsburgh at this time!! Additionally had good conversations with @CoachDuzzPittFB @CoachAPowell and Coach Borbely!! pic.twitter.com/rcxggAwYYs

— Ryan (Mountain) Howerton (@RyanHowerton78) March 25, 2023

Howerton — a 6-foot-5, 305-pound three-star offensive sort out from St. Vincent Pallotti in Laurel, Maryland — is a precedence offensive line recruit within the cycle, and as he’s been out to Pitt 4 occasions now over the past yr, he’s gotten an opportunity to actually construct a relationship with the teaching employees.

He’s seen Pitt play reside, in fact, however he received his first probability Saturday to see how Pitt runs a follow — a high-intensity, high-stakes scrimmage on the UPMC Rooney Sports activities Complicated.

The principle focus, for Howerton no less than, was watching the offensive scheme. The linemen specifically. The teaching employees advised Howerton it was attempting out new performs offensively, seeing how the offense operates with a cell quarterback underneath heart.

So, Howerton — and Pitt — had been watching how Pitt’s offensive line operated in new run schemes.

“They undoubtedly use the linemen as athletes,” Howerton stated. “That’s what I like probably the most about it. They get their linemen to maneuver, they get their linemen out in area, and I really feel like I’ve the athleticism to return and be a part of that actual nicely.”

Howerton was additionally capable of spend extra time with the teaching employees exterior of follow, getting one other alternative to speak with Pat Narduzzi, Andre Powell and Dave Borbely.

He was capable of meet Narduzzi for the primary time in individual, as Narduzzi formally welcomed him to Pitt, and he was capable of spend extra time with Borbely. However this time round, it wasn’t a lot soccer because it was relationship-building.

“It’s all the time been good vitality,” Howerton stated. “Each time I’ve went, there’s been good vitality. It simply seems like a great place to be. I’ve by no means seen any participant come again and say they really feel dangerous after, I’ve by no means seen anyone do anything, so it’s simply good vitality on a regular basis. It looks as if a great place to develop as extra than simply an athlete.”

However talking of athletes, Howerton definitely lives as much as his nickname. He will not be as huge as ‘The Mountain’ from Sport of Thrones, however he’s a load at 6-foot-5, 305 kilos. He’s the resident beginning proper sort out at St. Vincent Pallotti, and he makes use of his mix of energy and velocity to overwhelm opposing defensive linemen.

247Sports charges Howerton because the 978th-ranked recruit within the class (76th-ranked offensive sort out and Thirty first-ranked recruit from Maryland). On3 charges him because the 54th-ranked offensive sort out and Twenty second-ranked recruit from Maryland.

Rivals hasn’t rated Howerton but, however he does maintain a 5.5 Rivals Ranking.

Howerton will seemingly be making one other go to again to Pittsburgh for a camp look, and there’s very seemingly an official go to sooner or later.

As of proper now, with provides from Akron, Boston School, Maryland, Pitt, Temple, Toledo and West Virginia, he doesn’t have any official visits locked in. However he’s pondering that Pitt, Maryland and West Virginia are at present within the combine for visits this summer season.

He’d wish to be dedicated in some unspecified time in the future throughout his senior season, when he’s capable of have family and friends round, so his dedication continues to be a methods away. However Pitt is firmly within the combine.

“Proper now, they’re undoubtedly prime three,” Howerton stated. “And so they simply maintain climbing as a result of I maintain going again and loving it.

“Simply the reference to the coaches. I don’t have as a lot of a connection as I do with coach Powell and coach Borbely. We’re texting each different day at this level, and it simply seems like I can ask them something. I really feel like a precedence there.”

PITTSBURGH – North Carolina switch guard Puff Johnson may quickly be in line for a homecoming again to Pittsburgh. The Moon Township native has obtained curiosity from each Pitt and Duquesne, in accordance with CBS Sports activities insider Jon Rothstein.

West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Oklahoma, and a plethora of different colleges have additionally expressed curiosity in Johnson. The brother of former Pitt guard Cam Johnson – who went to UNC after transferring from Pitt and presently taking part in for the Brooklyn Nets within the NBA – Puff performed the previous three seasons with the Tar Heels.

Johnson averaged 4.1 factors and a couple of.7 rebounds in 27 video games (two begins) spanning a median of 16 minutes per sport. In 65 profession video games, Johnson scored 200 profession factors (3.1 ppg) and shot slightly below 42% from the ground, 24.7% from three, and 69% on the free-throw line. A strong defender in sporadic taking part in time, the 6-foot-8 junior scored 11 factors within the Nationwide Championship loss to Kansas final season.

He solely performed two minutes in Carolina’s assembly at Pitt on Dec. 30 following early foul hassle. Johnson didn’t play within the rematch in Chapel Hill on Feb. 1 because of a knee harm. 

Johnson performed his first three years of highschool at Moon Space. He averaged 22.1 factors, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per sport throughout his junior yr, successful the 2019 PIAA Class 5A state championship after falling to Mars within the WPIAL Championship. He graduated from Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, Arizona with 1,960 profession factors, being coached by former NBA star guard Mike Bibby for his senior yr.

Puff Johnson BREAKOUT 2022-2023 yr coming… pic.twitter.com/T7AkRM410L

— jman (@jhardy252) Might 2, 2022

Pitt has been actively looking for choices to exchange 5 departing seniors together with Jamarius Burton, Greg Elliott, and Nike Sibande. Nelly Cummings (Lincoln Park) returned residence for his last yr of eligibility and might be the same story with Johnson, who doesn’t have the expertise of Cummings however owns two years of eligibility remaining.  Johnson is the eleventh participant the Panthers have publicly expressed curiosity in, with three scholarships accessible within the 2023-24 season.

Like Pitt, Duquesne is trying so as to add one other guard to their beginning lineup for subsequent season. Keith Dambrot is dropping senior guard Tevin Brewer.