The right man for the job
Carrington’s departure shows that Capel is what Pitt needs
Jeff Capel had company while entering the GBU Life Campus View Club inside Petersen Events Center early Wednesday afternoon. After the Pitt men’s basketball coach took his seat, he proudly gazed out to the group of players there to support their teammate. Capel then turned and smiled toward Bub Carrington, now bound for the NBA draft.
It’s hardly a rare scene in college basketball these days, an exceptional freshman realizing the money on the other side and going one-and-done at his respective school. No one can or should fault Carrington for pursuing the opportunity.
At the same time, I couldn’t help but think about Capel, what this means for his tenure at Pitt and how it’s more obvious than ever that athletic director Heather Lyke picked the right guy for the job.
If the proud-papa look plastered on Capel’s face didn’t do the trick, his thoughtful and thorough answers buttressed the argument.
“I think it’s great for our program,” Capel said. “Obviously we would love to have him back. But all of these kids dream of being a pro. When I was his age, I dreamed of being a pro. When you have the opportunity, you have to take advantage of it.”
Smart, honest and caring were themes for Capel, who also has no reason to hide. His Panthers finished 22-11 and were robbed of an NCAA tournament bid.
Capel also said Pitt had more pro scouts at practices this season than the previous five years combined, a nod to not only Carrington, but Blake Hinson and others, as well.
The next line from Capel really got me — and it’s an idea not discussed enough by men and women in his position.
This job shouldn’t be about their ego, paycheck or power trip. Somewhere buried in there, they’re still coaches, charged with guiding young people. For some, maybe that’s practice and a degree. For others, it’s the NBA.
“Everyone’s race is different,” Capel said. “It’s our job to teach them how to accomplish that. One of the main things is work. You have to have talent, but if you work and take care of the other stuff, you have a chance for something like this to happen.”
It was entertaining to hear Capel talk about his relationship with Carrington, dating back to recruiting him on an Atlantic City court and Carrington’s father, Bub Sr., essentially pledging the family’s loyalty to Capel.
At the same time, as much as Capel loved the young Carrington from first sight, he insisted he didn’t see this as a one-and-done thing; only after a triple-double early on and Bub Jr. maturing and starting to reach double figures
every night did Capel start to consider the possibility.
Carrington, of course, said he was coming back the night of the Panthers’ final game, but can you blame him? Emotions, heat of the moment, all of that stuff. What mattered more was something that also impressed me about Capel.
Once again, the dads talked. Capel reached out to NBA general managers and other personnel people.
“The feedback we got was very positive,” Capel said.
Spin that forward: Not only has Capel operated in a way that’s fair to Carrington, helping an exceptional player realize his dreams, but he did the right thing for those still here and ones who might consider Pitt in the future.
“I want this moment to be very, very special for [Carrington] and his family,” Capel said. “But we’ll pursue a guard. We have some really good guards returning that we’re very excited about, too.
“We know we won’t get anyone like him, but we’ll get someone really good who will be able to blend in with the guys we have returning.”
Talking about Carrington’s draft stock shouldn’t be hard. Among the last eight freshman to average 13.5 points, five rebounds and four assists per game, which Carrington did, seven became top-15 picks. The Baltimore native should land around that spot. He can score, facilitate, and he might not be done growing.
The more lasting story remains what happens at Pitt, what Capel has been building and how he’s comported himself during this process. Figure, Justin Champagnie left early in 2021, but before that, the last to do it was Steven Adams (2013).
It’s been a missing mile marker or sign of progress, as Adams also happens to be Pitt’s last true lottery pick. Cam Johnson (2019, 11th overall) was (understandably) more identified with North Carolina, and Lamar Patterson was a second-rounder in 2014. After having four players drafted between 2005-09, in the heyday of Pitt hoops, there’s been just those three since.
It’s weird to think of a departure as a steadying force, but it’s true. You want good players to come play for a coach. You also want to attract more quality players when they see what can happen as a result.
Pitt (28 draft picks, eight in the first round) has done some of that, while Capel (27 and 18) has done a lot of it. Highly doubtful anybody at Pitt needed a reminder of Capel’s qualifications, but they got one anyway with what transpired Wednesday.
It’s something that should have a longer-term payoff, as well.
“Certainly we would be better if he were coming back, but I think we’ll be good anyway,” Capel said. “Him being able to do this hopefully will show other recruits that this is possible here at the University of Pittsburgh.”