Here's your belated Happy Holidays from Jeff Capel, Pitt fans.
Monday, five-star guard Jalen Hood-Schifino took to his Instagram to post the following:
Not bad, eh?
Pittsburgh native Hood-Schifino, a 6-foot-4 guard who currently plays at Lincolnton, N.C.'s Combine High School, is the No. 25 prospect in the 2022 class per 247 Sports' composite rankings, while Rivals.com has him at No. 17. That makes him the highest-ranked Pitt prospect since 7-foot center Steven Adams back in 2012. Adams was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder and has played the entirety of his seven-year professional career there.
While nobody's jumping the gun and considering Hood-Schifino a lock to excel at Adams' level, there's plenty to get excited about here. First off, he's by far Capel's best recruit since arriving at Pitt, surpassing current sophomore Trey McGowens, who was ranked No. 83 per Rivals.
Secondly ... I mean, just watch for yourself:
Again, I say: Not bad, eh? Hood-Schifino demonstrates touch from deep, handles, finishing at the rim, offensive rebounding and vision in the two-minute highlight — a little something for everyone (besides defense, which usually won't show up on a mixtape).
And if the name "Schifino" sounds familiar, you probably recognize it from Drew Schifino, who played at Penn Hills and West Virignia, and Jake Schifino, another Penn Hills standout who played wide receiver for the Titans and Texans. Both Drew and Jake are Jalen's uncles.
HUNTER'S VIEW
I mean, what's not to like here? Pitt needs size right now, but it's important to note Hood-Schifino won't arrive until 2022. Plus, you can never have too many five-star players on your roster. You just can't. Besides, Capel's 2020 recruiting class is stacked with size in the interim.
This is exceptional work by Capel and company to bring Hood-Schifino home. He reportedly heard offers from Florida, Mississippi, Virginia Tech and other notable programs, so credit Pitt for making the case he couldn't refuse.
