Pitt basketball received its first verbal commitment for the class of 2008 yesterday when Nasir Robinson of Chester High School in Chester, Pa., told coach Jamie Dixon that he wanted to play for the Panthers.

Robinson, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound junior, can sign a binding letter of intent in the fall. He is considered one of the top shooting guard prospects in the country. Rivals.com ranks him as the No. 8 shooting guard and the No. 45 player overall.

"His personality is parallel to Pitt's program," said Ray Carroll, who coached Robinson at American Christian High School last season and is Robinson's mentor. "He's a workhorse, a natural floor leader. He's relentless just like a lot of Pitt players."

Carroll said Pitt had been the front-runner for the past two years and that Robinson simply wanted to end the recruiting process early because he had come to a firm decision. He said Dixon has been to Chester to see Robinson more than most coaches and that was an important part of his decision.

Carroll said Robinson can play either shooting guard or small forward for Pitt.

"He's a versatile player," Carroll said. "He can handle the ball. He's an uncanny scorer. He can rebound very well. He's a jack of all trades. Being at Pitt will help him hone his skills and take it to the next level. He's the type of kid who has nowhere near peaked. He's got a ton of room to get better. It's scary to think about how good he can be."

Robinson is averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds per game for Chester (11-1), which is ranked third in the latest Class AAAA state rankings.

Pitt fans can watch Robinson and another Pitt recruit in action Jan. 28. Robinson's Chester team will play Schenley and DeJuan Blair at 4 p.m. on PCN TV.

The game is part of the Play By Play Classic at Cardinal O'Hara High School.

Blair, a senior at Schenley, will play at Pitt next season.