Why Transfer Brant Byers Chose Mike Rhoades and Penn State

As Brant Byers drives through campus passing the landmarks of Penn State, it provides a sense of familiarity.

The Chambersburg native grew up as a fan of the program, attending basketball games at the Bryce Jordan Center and idolizing Tony Carr and, more recently, Andrew Funk. So when he was contacted by head coach Mike Rhoades this offseason after entering the transfer portal, it was a quick decision.

“I don’t know if it’s sunk in completely yet, just driving around campus, driving by Beaver (Stadium), the Bryce Jordan Center, it’s been pretty crazy and awesome to experience that,” Byers said.

Now he walks through the BJC in a different role, practicing on the court he once watched from the stands. For the Nittany Lions, landing Byers via the portal adds a perimeter weapon with proven production at the mid-major level.

After spending his first two collegiate seasons at Miami (Ohio), where he developed into a 14.2 point-per-game scorer and shot 39.2% from three-point range during a 32-win campaign, Byers entered the portal as one of the more sought-after wing shooters in the country. Yet when the chance to return to his home state arose, both sides quickly recognized the synergy.

Rhoades highlighted how meaningful the homecoming was for Byers while emphasizing that the move was rooted in mutual fit and preparation.

“He was really excited to come back home and be back in Pennsylvania, loved Penn State his whole life,” Rhoades said. “He did his homework, he and his family and agent … I think he saw the fit.”

Byers gives the Nittany Lions an injection of positional size and dynamic shooting. At 6-foot-8, his ability to battle on the boards and knock down shots from deep addresses crucial weaknesses from last season.

However, Byers isn’t content simply resting on his reputation as a spot-up shooter; his focus throughout summer workouts has been expanding his overall game.

“Just getting stronger, even in the weight room, handling the ball and being in that position, I haven’t always been in that position growing up, so just working on that kind of thing, coming off ball screens, improving my passing, things like that,” Byers said.

That drive to improve aligns with what Rhoades demands from his players. In his high-intensity system, toughness is non-negotiable. The head coach praised Byers’ work ethic and edge, noting that his competitive nature fits right into the program’s identity.

“He works really hard and he’s super competitive. You can coach Brant hard, and he’s got a little edge, a little swag to him when it comes to competition,” Rhoades said. “He’s not afraid.”

With two years of eligibility remaining, Byers steps into a Penn State program eager to improve off a disastrous 2025-26 campaign. Beyond individual development, the decision to join the Nittany Lions was driven by a shared belief in where the program is heading under Rhoades’ leadership.

“(I liked) the opportunity and then the vision that we want to get Penn State basketball to, and then just the relationship I was able to build with coach Rhoades and the rest of the staff played into that,” Byers said.