PITTSBURGH — Pitt head coach Jeff Capel sat down for an exclusive interview with Channel 11 ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft.
Freshman point guard Bub Carrington has the potential to be the first Pitt basketball player selected in the first round of the draft since 2013.
Capel said it’s a testament to Carrington’s work ethic, his family and the Pitt program.
“This is something that happened a lot faster than, I think, any of us thought, including him and his family,” Capel said.
When Carrington committed to Pitt in 2022, he was a borderline Top-100 prospect. Clearly, much has changed in just two years.
“He picked a place that believed in him,” Capel said. “He believed in the place. He worked his butt off. We worked him. We challenged him. We held him accountable.”
In just one college basketball season, Carrington caught the eyes of the NBA.
Capel says Carrington’s new team will soon learn his talent on the floor is just one piece of what makes him special.
“I still think his greatest gift is his mind. He’s really, really smart. So they’re gonna get a very smart, high IQ, a guy that has a high upside, is continuing to develop, incredibly competitive, really good guy that will have a chance to be, I think, a starting point guard in that league at some point.”
Carrington’s career in Oakland may have been short-lived, but Capel says it left an invaluable impact on the future of the Panthers program.
“Wednesday night will be a huge night for Pitt men’s basketball because I think what it shows is that you can come here and achieve your dream of being a professional basketball player and play in the NBA.”
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
TRENDING NOW:
©2024 Cox Media Group
