Capel adds experienced help
Sidy N’Dir wanted to spend his final year of eligibility playing in a major conference, and he saw everything he needed to see from Pitt over the weekend.
N’Dir, a graduate transfer guard from New Mexico State, announced his commitment to the Panthers on Monday night.
“I like the spirit of the place and I really wanted to test myself in the ACC and play against good competition,” N’Dir told Panther-Lair.com. “Coach (Jeff) Capel is a good coach and he has a great resume. I’m excited to be a part of that program and they see me as a big piece of the program. I can bring a winning mentality to the program.
“They want me to be a leader and bring leadership to the team because I come from a winning tradition.”
The former three start recruit and Texas A&M commit out of high school played three seasons at New Mexico State after redshirting, and the 6'2” senior brings plenty of experience and a competitive edge to the back court and wing. He is capable of playing at either the two or three due to his athleticism, and despite not having great size, his strength and vertical ability enable him to play all the way out to the wing. He projects as Pitt's best perimeter defender immediately.
He first caught the attention of the current Pitt coaches when Jason Capel, the brother of the Panthers’ head coach and a member of the coaching staff, saw him play when he was broadcasting a New Mexico State game.
“The coaches are great people,” N’Dir said. “I like them a lot. I think that they are going to have a real good effect on the program, and that the culture is definitely going to change. I can see myself being a part of that in this program, so that is why I committed on the visit."
After he decided to leave New Mexico State as a graduate transfer, N’Dir considered only one option. His visit to Pitt was his only visit.
“It was great, I really enjoyed it,” he said. “Pittsburgh is a great environment. I really love the town and everything that comes with it. It’s really good, just being there; I really liked it. It’s the city of champions.”
Although Capel actually has some talent and depth in the back court and on the wing, N’Dir adds something that the others don't. He has played plenty of college basketball and can provide a lot of the little things that the coaches can't provide completely. An injury shortened his redshirt sophomore season when he was averaging 13.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
He came back to put up 7.8 points and 3 rebounds per game last season while regularly drawing the opponent's best offensive weapon as a defensive assignment. Now N'Dir is hoping he has the best year of his college career in his lone season at Pitt.
"I truly believe in Coach Capel and his staff,” N’Dir said. “I am familiar with the type of culture that he is trying to bring to Pitt. So I can definitely see my role in all of this, even though it will be short term for me. I think it is a great fit for everyone involved."