Stage set for Pitt freshman guard Omari Witherspoon to contribute early

In Pitt’s preseason exhibitions against Providence and Pitt-Johnstown, as coach Jeff Capel looked to get an initial glance at his retooled Panthers squad, he utilized essentially the same starters twice.

But one particular tweak was notable, in true freshman guard Omari Witherspoon entering the lineup at tip-off against the Mountain Cats alongside fellow guards Damarco Minor and Brandin Cummings plus forwards Cam Corhen and Roman Siulepa.

Illustrative of the strong impression Witherspoon has made since arriving at Pitt, Capel started him and gave him 30 minutes against Pitt-Johnstown on Oct. 26.

“I’ve liked everything about him from the time he got here,” Capel said. “He’s a talented player. There’s a toughness, there’s a belief (and) there’s a work ethic that’s there. He’s advanced for a freshman, defensively. That was kind of his identity in high school, and he was coached very, very well there.”

Witherspoon answered the call, dropping 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting while drilling both of his 3-point attempts. The 6-foot-4 freshman added a team-high five assists plus a steal and also had two trips to the charity stripe, sinking 3 of 4 shots.

Eight days earlier, on Oct. 19, Witherspoon got his first real taste of collegiate action, as Providence visited Petersen Events Center for the Panthers’ first exhibition.

In that contest, an 81-74 comeback win for Pitt, Witherspoon played 19 minutes but was highly efficient, contributing 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

Neither game counted in the win-loss column for Pitt, but the next one does, as the Panthers’ 2025-26 campaign gets officially underway Monday when Youngstown State visits Oakland.

Starting Monday, the competition stiffens for Pitt. But playing a pair of exhibitions gave Witherspoon a taste of what awaits.

“It’s real fast-paced,” Witherspoon said of college basketball. “It’s way different from high school, especially in the ACC. Everything is just constant movement, constant running and the physicality. You’ve got to run through a lot of screens, so it’s the conditioning aspect and stuff like that.”

Witherspoon joined Pitt from St. John’s College Prep, the same program that produced former Panthers guard Ish Leggett.

Pitt joined others such as Butler, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Clemson in offering the Bowie, Md., native, as did the nearby Maryland Terrapins.

Andrew Palla | For TribLive

Pitt guard Omari Witherspoon (8) attempts a shot in traffic on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, at Petersen Events Center.

Having chosen the Panthers, Witherspoon now has the opportunity to play early and be a part of a Pitt backcourt that lost the majority of its contributors from a season ago to graduation and the transfer portal.

“There’s a toughness and a competitiveness that’s there,” Capel said. “He’s getting better offensively. … He’s been pretty efficient in practice, especially in getting to spots. He’s learning how to use his size. He’s a big guy, and at times, in the two exhibition games, he’s gotten a few offensive fouls called on him. I think some of it is just because of his size.

“He’s getting better. He wants to be really good. He’s got an unbelievable attitude, he’s a great teammate and we’re excited about working with him.”

Minor, a point guard, brings 99 games of collegiate experience to the floor after transferring from Oregon State.

Cummings played in 31 games last season, mainly off the bench, and is preparing to assume a far larger role.

Early returns on Oregon State transfer guard Nojus Indrusaitis have also been pleasant following a productive preseason, while fellow true freshman Macari Moore makes up the final piece of Pitt’s backcourt puzzle.

With the regular season set to commence, Witherspoon hopes to have shown he’s ready to be thrown into the deep end and contribute in a meaningful way.

“Practicing hard every day, getting up extra shots in the morning, after practice — just constantly getting better every day,” Witherspoon said. “I feel like that just translates to the games.”