Xavier Johnson had one of the most productive seasons a true freshman has ever had for the Pitt basketball program. The Woodbridge (Va.) native instantly became the program’s star player and finished last year averaging 15.5 points per game, 4.5 assists, and 1.3 steals. He was named to the all-ACC freshman team for his outstanding efforts.

Now Johnson looks to build off of that season and elevate his game as a sophomore. The Pitt point guard won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year, and enters the season as the the ACC’s third-leading returning scorer. He makes this team run with his ability and his energy. Second-year head coach Jeff Capel is hoping now that he can take his game to a new level on a different front, by being a better leader.

“Well one of the things is that he talks more,” Capel said of his sophomore point guard. "Last year Xavier did not talk, so he’s a lot more vocal now then he was last year. I think he knows us and he knows what we as a coaching staff want and so he’s able to articulate that sometimes at practice with his teammates. He’s a lot more vocal in huddles, which is really, really good. That’s growth and something that you want from those guys.”

It’s a unique position for a sophomore to be the leader of an entire program, but given the circumstances of the situation it is not hard to believe. Pitt only returns six scholarship players off of last year’s team and it welcomes six newcomers. In addition to that, all of the returnees were new to Capel and how he operates his program.

The position of point guard itself is one that is meant to be held by a vocal guy. The point guard is the one expected to run the offense and knows where everyone needs to be at all times. So while Johnson has a ton of natural ability as a player and perhaps even an NBA future, being a leader is the next step in developing his game.

“If you look at all the really good point guards that’s the one thing they have in common,” Capel said about being a leader. “They can be very different in terms of size and athleticism and style of play, normally the really good ones, they talk. It’s not just talk you command and so that’s the next part of his growth is to do that.”

Johnson was admittedly quiet last year. The college game was new to him and he didn’t quite now how to say things to his teammates all the time. He says he’s starting to understand how to do that better heading into year two.

“From last year and just seeing myself just not talking and watching other people say things and not knowing what to say at the right time and to this year, I know what to say," Johnson said. “Most of the time I know what to say at the right time. I always talk, that’s the difference.”

So how did that all come about? Well Johnson was able to go to some leadership conference in the offseason and he said that helped him learn how to communicate with the team better.

“During the summer, I was yelling at guys,” Johnson explained. "I didn’t really know how to talk to my teammates, but I went to a little leadership, little conference and learned a lot.”

Capel conquered. “He got invited to some things and he took advantage of it, not only did he take advantage of going, but being present while he was there and really trying to learn and take something from these opportunities,” the Pitt coach said. “That’s what you want all these kids to do is try to learn from every situation and I think he’s done that.”

Pitt’s season begins a week from tonight when the Panthers host Florida State. The journey of the 2019-20 season begins tonight, as Pitt plays host to Slippery Rock for an exhibition at 7:00 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center.