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 an introduction to Pitt’s newest wing Marlon Barnes.
MARLON BARNES JR.
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Height, Weight: 6’6, 190 LBs
Position: Wing
Number: 11
Year: Freshman
Last year: Barnes was a three-star prospect out of Brush High School in Cleveland. He scored 13 points per game in his senior campaign, leading Chet Mason’s squad. He finished as the No. 76 small forward in the nation according to 247 Sports, and the No. 9 player in Ohio.
The storyline: Barnes was the first of Pitt’s four freshmen to commit to the Panthers. He committed to the program back in January 2022, mid-way through his junior season of high-school basketball. Barnes played his freshman season at Brush HS with former Panther John Hugley and took several visits to Pittsburgh throughout his high-school career to meet with the staff and to see Hugley and the team.
WATCH: Pitt Commit Marlon Barnes Jr. Breaks Down Skill Set, Commitment to Pitt
Barnes seems to be more of a developmental prospect. The Panthers clearly like his potential — and rightfully so. He stands at 6-foot-6, looks like one of the bounciest athletes on the team, and has a natural looking shot on the wing. Barnes definitely has lots of room to improve and with a 6-foot-6 frame, if he can add on muscle and skill to his game over the next few years, he should be an important piece of the puzzle in the future. However, this year, it seems as though Zack Austin, Jorge Diaz-Graham, and Will Jeffress will be spending the most time playing the three spot.
IN CAPEL’S WORDS
“Marlon has done a good job, he’s going to be a good player for us. It’s going to take a little bit more time, he’s got to get a little bit stronger, and really that off-guard forward position, there are a lot of guys. But he can make a shot, he’s a really good athlete, he’s an unbelievable kid, he wants to be really good, and he’s a worker.”
