Pittsburgh Basketball: Panthers Who'll Take the Biggest Leap Forward in 2014-15

For the first time in what must have felt like a long time to fans, Pitt did not immediately fizzle in conference tournament play this past March, though its NCAA tournament woes continued in the round of 32. To borrow a phrase from former school official Beano Cook, the Panthers simply need "better material" in order to improve upon a fifth-place finish in the ACC and enjoy a lengthier postseason run, and they'll have to find some of it internally.

While head coach Jamie Dixon tries to stretch his recruiting tentacles, he needs several of his returning players to pick up their respective games in order to make his team a better one this season. The Panthers will need plenty of offense from their big men, and they'll also need more consistent guard play.

The potential for those improvements do exist in a few such players. Let's meet the ones who could enjoy breakout seasons for the 2014-15 Panthers.

Michael Young

J Pat Carter/Associated Press

When Duquesne, Pennsylvania, native Michael Young started the 2013-14 season opener, he became just the 14th freshman in program history to do so. Beginning this summer, his objective has been to prove Jamie Dixon's faith was not mislaid.

The 6'9", 235-pound sophomore forward cleaned the defensive glass pretty well as a rookie, but with 6.0 points and 4.1 total rebounds per game, his work at the other end left something to be desired.

Of Dixon's three returning starters, Young might have made the most noticeable progress in the offseason. When Pitt took a four-game exhibition tour through the Bahamas in early August, he finished second on the team with 15.5 points per game. His offensive game seemed much more efficient, and he went 12-of-13 from the foul line.

Previously, Young had been named the most valuable player of the annual Pittsburgh Basketball Club Pro Am, averaging 25.8 points, 10.0 boards and 4.8 assists per regular-season contest, and he celebrated by rallying his team to the league championship with 26, 11 and four in the final game.

"My dream is to have an all-around game. I pride myself on being a good teammate. Making sure I get my teammates the ball, and doing my thing is something that comes easy to me," Young told me after that July 23 win at Montour High School in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania.

"Last year, I wasn't able to show it as much, but this year, I think I'll be able to, with my ball-handling, making plays and [showing] how good a passer I am."

He also showed it by showing up in fantastic shape. Using the unconventional training technique of Bikram, or "hot," yoga, Young said he's shed 22 pounds.

In addition, the more svelte Young showed fabulous chemistry with returning point guard James Robinson at Montour. Anytime Robinson set him up, Young would knock it down, playing much more authoritatively in the paint than he did last season.

The bulk of the offensive production the Panthers have to replace came from forward Lamar Patterson, one of their all-time top scorers in the Dixon era. If Dixon allows Young and Robinson to make things happen together, replacing it might not be as difficult.

"Last year we deferred to Lamar a lot. Now that Lamar has left, I think we'll really get to show that chemistry," Young said.

Joseph Uchebo

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

The primary concern with junior center Joseph Uchebo is, How much faith will Jamie Dixon have in a player who has never started a Division I game and never played in high-leverage situations of any kind? Uchebo got only 23 minutes as a sophomore, scoring just four points in that span.

Fortunately for Uchebo (6'10", 260 lbs), Dixon won't have the luxury of being choosy with only one other natural center on his 2014-15 roster. Look for the former to replace graduated starter Talib Zanna at the 5, and an increased role should lead to more opportunities for the fellow Nigerian.

During the team's exhibition tour through the Bahamas, Uchebo led the Panthers with 12.5 rebounds per game. He averaged 7.5 points in 18.3 minutes per game and shot a very efficient 66.7 percent from the field. In the annual Pittsburgh Basketball Club Pro Am, he averaged 20 points per regular-season game and led all participants with 20 rebounds per game.

The idea that Pitt is a blue-collar team that likes to physically overwhelm its opponents is not just a myth. Dixon has a big man in Uchebo who has had the benefit of being an understudy to Zanna—and before him, eventual NBA first-rounder Steven Adams. Uchebo should be ready by now.

A rising tide floats all boats, and hopefully, given many more minutes, he can translate his commendable offseason efforts into games that count.

Josh Newkirk

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Where can the Panthers turn for leadership up top when James Robinson and Cameron Wright are on the bench? To Joseph Uchebo's high school teammate, Josh Newkirk, who made a good first impression in 2013-14.

As the first Panther to be recruited from an established ACC region (North Carolina), Newkirk knows what it takes to hold one's own in that conference: versatility and a scoring touch.

The 6'1", 180-pound sophomore can play both guard positions, and he seemed to get comfortable in Jamie Dixon's backcourt toward the end of his freshman campaign. In Pitt's final home game he exploded for 20 points, going 5-of-5 behind the arc. In the regular-season finale at Clemson he made a buzzer-beating jumper that sent the game to overtime, where the Panthers would claim an important victory.

His 4.6 points per game may not sound impressive, but at 46.3 percent, Newkirk was one of the Panthers' most consistent shooters last season, and he led the team at 43.4 percent from three-point range.

Newkirk earned most improved player honors at the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Pro Am this summer, considerably improving his free-throw shooting and averaging 26 points and seven assists per regular-season game.

Every underclassman needs confidence. Now that he's built some, Newkirk could become an even more valuable asset to Pitt's offense.

Parting Shots

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Entering its second season in the ACC, Pitt continues trying to climb to the level of its stiffest competition. That won't happen overnight. To accelerate the process, one of this season's newcomers is going to have to exceed expectations.

Vanderbilt transfer Sheldon Jeter, who led Beaver Falls to a district championship his senior year, seems capable of showing that you can, in fact, go home again.

Jeter, a 6'8", 225-pound sophomore wing, is back in his comfort zone (i.e., playing closer to his old neighborhood) and has a solid year of experience in a power-five conference already under his belt.

He's become a better defender and distributor since high school, and he has a good transition game. Furthermore, he's bulked up since his BF days.

During the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Pro Am he meshed well with another former Beaver County high school sensation, freshman guard Cameron Johnson from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Coraopolis, Pennsylvania). Together, they're part of a local recruiting binge by Jamie Dixon.

It's an uncommon recruiting strategy by Dixon, but it could make the Panthers a more uncommon team.

Statistics courtesy of David Tobiczyk and the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Media Relations Office. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.