Look for Federiko Federiko’s Production to Increase in Year Two at Pitt

Ahead of the 2023-24 season, PSN will be introducing every Pitt player and updating each player’s current situation on the roster. We continue our breakdowns with a junior big man from Helsinki, Finland.

Federiko Federiko

Pittsburgh Panthers center Federiko Federiko (33) February 25, 2023 David Hague/PSN

Hometown: Helsinki, Finland

Height, Weight: 6’11, 225 LBs

Position: Forward

Number: 33

Year: Junior

Last year: Federiko filled in for an injured John Hugley early on during the season and never looked back. As Hugley dealt with mental health complications off the court, Federiko, a former junior college forward, filled in on the court. 

The Finnish forward started 27 games for the Panthers, excelling as a rim-running big man. Offensively, Federiko finished lobs and layups off interior passes from the Panthers’ guards. On the defensive end, Federiko protected the rim, blocking 1.7 shots per game to lead Pitt in that category. Overall, he averaged 6.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He had eight games of at least 10 points, including a 22-point outburst against North Florida in the non-conference slate.

The storyline: Federiko was certainly a pleasant surprise last year for the Panthers, starting 27 games in a season which many thought would be dominated by Hugley down low. But Federiko’s role fit the Panthers roster perfectly – as it allowed Pitt’s guards to create their own shots and score from the outside while he was always a threat over-the-top inside. 

Federiko’s speed and strength made him an instant weapon on every fast break, and after one year of high-level experience and an offseason spent with the Finnish National Team, he’s in for a major jump in responsibility and confidence for Pitt in 2023-24. I see him starting at the five for the Panthers and can envision his statistical averages increasing across the board with this Pitt team.

Read about Federiko’s time back home in Finland here.