Penn State Basketball: 7-Footer Jordan Dickerson Cleared By NCAA, Eligible Immediately

Penn State basketball will add a little more height to the roster as sophomore center Jordan Dickerson has been cleared to play and will take the court for the Nittany Lions on Sunday against Mount St Mary’s.

“We are excited the NCAA has approved the waiver for Jordan,” Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said of the news. “He has worked hard to develop during his six months with the program and we look forward to working him into our lineup and taking advantage of his presence in the post.”

Penn State submitted a Legislative Relief Waiver to the NCAA requesting it waive the year in residence requirement that generally applies to transfers in basketball. The rule usually requires that all transfer athletes sit out a season following transfer to another program. A sophomore, Dickerson will have two additional season in Happy Valley following this year.

Dickerson transferred to Penn State from SMU in June 2013 and has been practicing with the team since his arrival. The nature of the waiver is unknown. Dickerson is a Brooklyn native.

For the Nittany Lions, Dickerson will be the tallest player to wear the blue and white since Jan Jagla in 2004. Dickerson brings with him an athletic body and height that fits well into Chambers’ system of a more up-tempo and athletic style of play.

While the team has played well on the glass and sophomore Donovon Jack has blocked 24 shots this season, Dickerson is the body and athleticism that Penn State’s front court desperately needs. It remains to be seen how effective Dickerson will be entering Big Ten play, but on paper he provides Penn State with more depth and size in an important area on both ends of the floor.

Penn State will also add transfer guard John Johnson to the mix on Sunday as the Nittany Lions’ bench suddenly becomes deeper and deeper entering conference play. Johnson sat out last season after transferring from Pittsburgh to Penn State. He too has practiced with the team since arriving in Happy Valley.

A win tomorrow, and the Nittany Lions will have their best start since the 2008-09 season and perhaps their deepest as well.

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