Khem Birch: Pittsburgh Panthers Basketball, McDonalds All-American Recruit

Khem Birch is a special talent that is heading to Pittsburgh. He showcased his talents in the McDonald's All-American game on Wednesday.

Birch is ranked the best center coming out of high school and the 11th best prospect. He is 6'9", 210-pounder who comes from Notre Dame Prep. We have seen more and more Canadians come to play for bigger programs in recent years, and Birch joins that list. 

He also considered top notch programs such as West Virginia, Ohio State, North Carolina and Kansas.

He is a prospect that the Panthers generally stay away from. He is potentially a one-and-done type of player, although I think he will stay just a bit longer. Of course, this will all depend on how well he does next season. He will join Dante Taylor and Nasir Robinson in the front court next year.

These are the type of players that Panthers fans want to see. He can change the game on the defensive side of the ball as well as chip in offensively. He blocks and alters shots with ease on defense and is a presence around the rim on offense.

He has great athletic ability and that is something that the Panthers have been lacking down low. Gary McGhee was not athletic whatsoever, he was just big. Birch is a slightly smaller center, but makes up for it with his great length.

Some scouts relate his game to Kenyon Martin when he was with Cincinatti. Martin was an absolute beast with the Bearcats, and if it wasn't for a horrific injury, he could of led them to a National Title.

One concern with Birch is his strength on the defensive end as well as the offensive one. He isn't the greatest back to the basket type of player, but he can work on that just like his jump shot.

Birch is the type of the player that can change a program. He is the ultimate game-changer on defense. If he can build on his strength and work on his offensive game, he could be an All-Big East performer soon.