Capel adds another four-star to the roster

Rather than going to the transfer portal again, Jeff Capel’s latest addition to the 2023-24 roster has come from the high school ranks.

On Monday, four-star center Papa Kante announced that he had committed to Pitt. The South Kent standout ranks as the No. 87 overall prospect and the No. 7 center in the class of 2023, and his commitment to the Panthers comes a few weeks after he received a release from the Letter of Intent he signed to attend Michigan.

Maryland, Rutgers and Memphis, among others, were thought to be in contention for his services before Kante made the surprise announcement Monday afternoon.

With Kante on board, Pitt’s 2023 recruiting class is positioned to be Capel’s best since joining the Panthers in 2018. In addition to Kante, Pitt signed four-star guards Jaland Lowe and Carlton Carrington as well as three-star prospect Marlon Barnes. As of Monday afternoon, the class ranked No. 22 nationally and No. 3 in the ACC.

Kante, 6’10” 225, figures to provide depth for the Panthers at the center position in 2023-24. The team returns junior Federiko Federiko and sophomore Guillermo Diaz Graham in the post; Kante’s rebounding and defense should earn him minutes as a freshman, even if he’s working behind Federiko and Diaz Graham.

In addition to the four freshmen - Kante, Lowe, Carrington and Barnes - Pitt has also added Rhode Island guard Ishmael Leggett and High Point forward Zack Austin as transfers this offseason. The Panthers also returned six players from last season’s roster, leaving one scholarship spot open for Capel and company as June approaches.