Twins: Stronger, quicker, faster
Diaz Grahams talk weight gain, team trip to Canary Islands and more
Pitt’s sophomore twin forwards from the Canary
Islands, Jorge and Guillermo -foot-11, and Guillermo, at 7Diaz Graham, spent much of foot, weighed less than 200 last season adapting to the pounds. That was a major physical style of basketball in point of their offseason training. the ACC. Jorge now weighs 210
Both were assets to Jeff pounds, and Guillermo 220. Capel’s Panthers at different As the two spoke after practice times, but it was Guillermo earlier this week, they who played most of the Panthers’ felt good about the work win against Mississippi they’d put in to be ready for State in the NCAA tournament this season. play-in game in Dayton, “We knew after last season, Ohio. He made a vital we needed to put some block on a shot that could’ve weight on,” Jorge said. “We ended Pitt’s season. At that had a plan to stay here. It’s game’s conclusion,tough, but sometimes you Guillermo — from exhaustion have to do tough things in — collapsed in his life. We worked out and brother’s arms as Jorge came gained 20 pounds each, so I off the bench to celebrate the can’t complain.” win with him. That weight took months
Last year, both Jorge, at 6 of strength and conditioning workouts with strict diets for both the twins that included extra meals and protein shakes to build up muscle. Theyexpect the added weight to be a help when they try to be effective forwards for Pitt closer to the rim.
“You can see in games, it would take 100 percent of my energy to guard guys,” Guillermo said of last season, “while those guys would push us around with just 50 percent. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy this year, but I can definitely move better now and it’s not going to require 100 percent of my energy just to box a guy out.
“Specifically, on defense, it’s going to help us box out and get more rebounds,” Guillermo continued. “On offense, it will help us post up. Last year, when we had to switch, it was hard for us in the post. But now, it feels easier to back guys down and score.”
For Jorge, the added weight is still an adjustment, as he only recently returned to practice after rehabilitating an injury. When asked about playing with his added weight, he said he felt slower, but he wasn’t sure if that was because of his injury, the added weight or both.
But that’s not the case for Guillermo.
“I feel faster,” Guillermo said. “I feel stronger and like I can move guys better. Now, when I’m in my stance, guys can’t push me around. But I
also feel faster and that I jump quicker and higher with more power. So I feel great.”
Just as important as the work the twins did in the offseason was Pitt’s team trip to the Canary Islands, where the Diaz Graham twins were able to show their teammates their home country and community. The team made the visit in August. It was a collision of worlds for the brothers.
“It was one of the best experiences you could have,” Guillermo said. “We always talked about how nice our home is, but having the chance to show [our teammates] was really nice. I got to show my family what I do every day and who I share my life with.”
The Panthers played two exhibition games during the trip. But due to Jorge’s injury, he was unable to play.
“It’s nice to be back of course,” Jorge said. “But it was hard to not be able to play in Spain in front of my family. But I still enjoyed watching my brother play with the guys.”
But bigger than the games Pitt played was the experience for the players and coaches to see the world the Diaz Graham twins grew up in. After spending a year adapting to American culture at Pitt, the twins were excited to share with their teammates what their home and family were like.
“My favorite moment was when we were walking through the city,” Guillermo said. “Then coach Vince said to us, ‘Man, now I know why you kids are smiling every day. If I was born here, I’d be smiling every day, too.’ That’s why we’re such happy people. We were born and raised here.”
Jorge added one of his favorite experiences was his mother’s home cooking and he joked that probably 10 of the 20 pounds both the twins gained in the offseason came from eating her cooking during the trip.
But now that both are back at Pitt and preparing for the season, there’s a focus to show their progress and that they aren’t the same as they were as wide-eyed freshmen last season.
“There’s always going to be new things that come your way when playing basketball,” Guillermo said. “But it’s definitely not like coming into a new world. We already played here. We’re excited to play again and see the difference from last year.”
When asked about their teammates, the twins expressed how impressed they were with the growth they saw in other players from last year. Case in point: Jorge says that nobody on the team could guard senior forward Blake Hinson now that he’s added “elite” post play to his offense. Guillermo talked about Pitt’s other 6-foot-11 center, junior Fede Federiko, and how different he looked after spending the summer playing with Finland’s national team.
“He’s more confident,” Guillermo said. “Playing on his national team helped his confidence because now he’s playing with NBA guys. He’s also really worked on his shooting. So don’t be surprised to see him hit a jumper. He’s more confident, stronger and he’s going to be a great player.”