Aiken will join the Panthers in 2018 as a preferred walk-on
Pitt secured the commitment of 2018 point guard Curtis Aiken Jr. on Thursday night, beating out TCU and Tennessee for the three-star recruit out of North Allegheny Senior High School in nearby Wexford, Pennsylvania. Aiken will join the team as a preferred walk-on next season.
— Curtis Aiken Jr. (@caiken_14) May 4, 2018
Aiken’s name should sound familiar to most Pitt fans, as he is the son of former Pitt guard Curtis Aiken, who played with the Panthers from 1983 to 1987. The elder Aiken began his career as the university’s first McDonald’s High School All-American, recorded 1,200 points and 378 assists with the Panthers, and now serves as an analyst for the team’s radio broadcasts.
Despite his three-star rating from 247Sports, the local prospect has largely flown under the radar during his high school career. However, he has impressed scouts with his offensive versatility, gaining a reputation for his physical play, ball-handling and range as a shooter.
“This tough scoring guard can fill it up in bunches, especially from deep, where he loves to fire jumpers,” said Dylan Prezkop of Next Up Recruiting. “He’s got a knack for getting into the lane and absorbing contact. He is explosive athletically and is a crafty finisher. Curtis handles the ball well and finishes in transition.”
Aiken is Pitt head coach Jeff Capel’s third addition to a backcourt that lost guards Marcus Carr and Parker Stewart in April. Since then, Capel has added four-star guard Trey McGowens and three-star recruit Xavier Johnson in addition to landing Aiken on Thursday.
Because Aiken is a walk-on, he will not cost Pitt one of its three remaining scholarships. That scholarship total could also increase, as Kene Chukwuka and Malik Ellison still haven’t decided if they’ll stay at Pitt or transfer to new programs after requesting their releases in March.
