After Blake Hinson did his due diligence by testing through the NBA Draft process over the last month, Pitt announced Tuesday he will return to play out his senior season this coming winter.
B2 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Flvr3VvEHm
— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) May 30, 2023
The 3-pointers from the logo will rain down, the energy and infectious personality will once again don the royal and gold No. 2, and the second-team All-ACC forward will take one more season to iron out his game before likely testing for the NBA again in one year's time.
While going through this process was a given -- and should stand as beneficial -- for Hinson in his own, personal right, let's not leave in the dust how important it is that he will take one last go-round as a Panther.
For his own sake, and for the program's sake.
“Obviously the goal as a player in this sport is to make it to the next level. So the opportunity presented itself to showcase my talents for the next level, and I took it," Hinson said in an interview Saturday morning with Pat Bostick on 93.7 The Fan. "I played well in my workouts in front of these NBA teams but nothing -- I was given no opportunity that was greater than coming back to Pitt. … I definitely want to do my fourth year like a lot of other seniors have, and what better place would be than Pitt to do it? And I honestly mean that. I didn’t want to go anywhere else. Pitt was the best option. That’s all I can really say. I’m glad it was, because I love to be here.”
That last line in that wonderful answer given to Bostick about coming back is the most punctuated.
Yes, coming back to Pitt was his best option. And, yes, he absolutely loves being here.
And, it goes to reason and without having to look too broadly, the feeling from the fanbase, from his coaches, and from his teammates is unequivocally mutual.
Just take what he said after Pitt's loss to Xavier in the NCAA Tournament as word, if what he said Saturday morning wasn't enough:
He clearly feels the same way months after the fact.
For those unaware of Hinson's story by now, he was a four-star recruit who started in 31 games as a true freshman at Ole Miss. He played two seasons there before transferring to Iowa State -- a team Pitt dominated in the NCAA Tournament -- but sat out two years while dealing with a non-COVID-related illness and never playing in a game for the Cyclones.
He has been asked about his experience at Iowa State, but never wanted to and potentially never will talk about it.
As he said prior to the Panthers' game against the Cyclones: "I would rather not say."
So, we can leave it at that.
But, perhaps, that experience could have only strengthened how much it truly means to him that he has found a home -- and a love -- at Pitt.
“There’s really no way to bottle it up into words," Hinson said. "We actually don’t have enough time on this radio show to explain everything it meant to me. No, I didn’t see (last season's run) coming, and everybody knows I’m a pretty confident dude and that’s just who I am. Still didn’t see that coming. A lot of that has to do with my teammates, them knowing my goals, for accepting my goals, and helping me reach them, just as much as me playing well. My teammates definitely helped me reach those goals.
"What it’s meant to me, there’s no words, there’s really no words, and I really mean that. That’s the only way I can explain that. There’s no words. Not only has it been successful, but these coaches and these fans and this city has accepted me more than my own hometown did. I’m forever grateful and I’m working hard every day to bring this city a championship because of that.”
Hinson was able to absorb the leadership and guidance factors brought by Jamarius Burton. He was able to ride the waves of energy brought by Nike Sibande and Greg Elliott. He was able to mature alongside the always-calm and seldom-rattled Nelly Cummings. Those players, alongside Hinson, Federiko Federiko, Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham, and the rest of that collective that will be remembered for an unforgettable season that saw Pitt return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven years and winning a game in the dance for the first time in nine years.
The best part of last year's Pitt basketball team was just that. It was a team. To borrow a phrase from Steelers coach Mike Tomlin: The strength of the pack was the pack.
This pack that will take the floor this winter will look a bit different, albeit with a handful of holdovers.
Burton, Sibande, Elliott, and Cummings are all graduated, leaving Hinson as the incumbent leader of the upcoming 2023-'24 bunch. The upcoming team is beaming with potential, with Dior Johnson set to make his debut and a consensus top-25 recruiting class loaded with four four-star prospects ready to enter the fray.
Not only will an extra year enable Hinson to hone his skills in preparation for the next level, whether it be in the NBA or elsewhere, but it will also allow him to take the leadership qualities derived from Burton and the seniors ahead of him and pass them down to that influx of youth within the program.
“It starts in the locker room," Hinson said. "I think that’s where last year’s success started, when the locker room became whole and pure. I don’t care who’s on the team -- and trust me, we have some great players, great young guys. I’ve been back for a short time and have been totally blown away by the young talent we have, not to mention the older talent we have, as well. It starts in the locker room. It starts with, just like I said before, knowing everybody’s goals, accepting everybody’s goals, and helping everybody reach those goals. That’s what’s going to help everybody, that’s what’s going to help build camaraderie, that’s going to have genuine love for each other, that’s going to make people go hard for the man next to them, and that’s what creates a team.
"It’s totally non-basketball related. It’s in the locker room, really accepting these guys, knowing these guys’ backgrounds, and showing them you love them. That’s Step 1. That’s how the whole team’s going to push each other without me just being the sole leader. Of course, I need to be that, but it needs to be more than me. It needs to go beyond the court, it needs to go outside the lot.”
He is clearly cognizant of the position he is in, and that clearly played a role in some aspect around his decision to return.
That is in addition to how he wants to grow as a player. As for the feedback he received from NBA scouts throughout the draft process, Hinson highlighted to Bostick a few key components:
One, they were looking for him to be in better shape:
"Three of the biggest things I heard was, one, get in better shape which is controllable, very controllable," Hinson said. "There’s no excuse to be made there. Already I’ve told people, coming off of two seasons not playing, coming off of a regular job, training like every athlete, and then you just come to the team and play and your body shows what you’ve been doing for the last two years. No excuse for that this year."
Two, scouts wanted to see how Hinson would fare defensively against the opposition's best player.
"The second thing is defensively," Hinson continued. "They want to see me take on bigger challenges. I don’t think anybody ever said I couldn’t guard. Nobody ever said that. Just taking on bigger challenges with different players on different teams. What they’re saying is guard the best player in certain times in games, which I can opt with that. That comes with being in shape."
Three, scouts gave Hinson the critique, he said, of finishing at the rim better. He is known for his ability as a 3-point shooter, but, again, Burton and Sibande took care of the slashing duties for the Panthers last season.
"And, finish at the rim better," Hinson concluded. "Clearly I’ve shot it well, but I’ve definitely missed some easy ones at the rim. That would just add to my threat level on the court. So, those are the three biggest things I heard back.”
All three points of feedback are fair and justified, though perhaps the largest point of reference that could define Hinson's on-court improvement this coming season will be the second point. Burton often drew the opposition's toughest assignment last season, but with a loaded ACC around the Panthers this upcoming season led by ACC Tournament champion Duke and Final Four team Miami, there should be plenty of opportunities for Hinson to accomplish that.
For how well-spoken and mature Hinson already is, a polishing of his game will stand to benefit him with respect to his own goals as a basketball player, but it will also stand to benefit Pitt as a collective this coming season. Many memories were made from the Panthers' run last year, and Hinson was a major part of that.
Now, he has a golden chance to be the main reason for more memories to be made on a team with rising expectations in his final season in college basketball.
