On Friday Pitt landed a big piece to the recruiting puzzle when Karim Coulibaly committed to the Panthers. He is a 6’8” and 230-pound center originally from the African nation of Mali. He plays basketball for Scotland Campus, a prep school just outside of Chambersburg (PA).

Coulibaly’s commitment means a lot for Jeff Capel and his staff. First off, it keeps the momentum going from Monday’s commitment from Gerald Drumgoole. He also brings something to the table that the Panthers desperately need. Lastly, he helps shape what next year’s team will look like.

Landing two commitments in one week is big for this program. There have been recruiting misses throughout the season, that have likely frustrated coaches and fans alike. We talked about what Drumgoole’s commitment meant the other day, but in a lot of respects Coulibaly’s pledge does the same thing - it keeps the ball rolling for this program. Pitt now has two commitments and is hosting three big prospects this weekend for official visits. Sometimes commitments can be infectious, and that one player joining a program could lead to another. It’s hard to say whether or not Pitt’s recruiting class adds a few more guys this weekend, but the vibe around the program certainly changed in the last week going from zero guys committed to two.

Coulibaly also gives Pitt something it does not really have - a power forward. Pitt has played most of the 2018-19 season with a center, two wings, and two guards on the floor at the same time. That lineup often gives up a lot of size and the rebounding numbers suffer because of it. Coulibaly could change that issue right away. He is known to be a good rebounder, and gets his hands on a lot of misses. Coulibaly is not noted as a great athlete, but he’s a polished scorer and uses his body well. He will give Pitt another threat to rebound, and should be able to add more punch scoring inside.

The commitment of Coulibaly also gives Pitt a better picture at what it’s future looks like. Pitt’s roster for next season is starting to take shape. Pitt is set to return eight players barring any transfers, and with two commitments there are now 10 players set for next season. That officially leaves three spots for Capel to play with in the coming months. It's a much less daunting task then trying to fill five spots, as that was the case just a few days ago. It has been long speculated that some current players may move on after that season, and while that could happen it’s still too early to definitively name them at this point.

This commitment helps shape next year’s roster, but it does more than that. Coulibaly is now the fifth high school recruit to commit to Jeff Capel over the past two recruiting classes. Those five guys, Xavier Johnson, Trey McGowens, Au’Diese Toney, Drumgoole, and Coulibaly now make up the nucleus of what Capel hopes will be the team to bring Pitt back to relevance in the not so distant future.