New Penn State men’s basketball head coach Mike Rhoades had his work cut out for him pretty much from Day 1 on the job as the Nittany Lions dealt with unavoidable roster turnover due to eligibility, the departure of three previously committed recruits (all of whom joined Micah Shrewsberry at Notre Dame) and the loss of a few players to the transfer portal.
When the smoke cleared there was a time Penn State boasted just three players on its roster with the real possibility that the rest might leave as well. It never quite made it to the point of “Penn State no longer has a basketball team,” but it was tantalizingly close.
Rhoades, though, has spent the better part of the last month or so pulling together a surprisingly competent and diverse roster from the transfer portal. It remains to be seen if Rhoades will even attempt to pick up any remaining recruits ahead of summer enrollment, but for now Penn State heads into the summer months three scholarship players shy of a full roster. (Walk-ons Dan Conlan and Andy Christos are still with the team as well.) So for those who haven’t followed in great detail, here’s where the roster stands as of May 10. There will be a test later on.
“It’s time to build relationships with these young guys that are here. I told them not too long ago, to build relationships takes two things: time and trust. I’m going to give them my time and hopefully that builds trust,” Rhoades said when he was hired. “And then we’re going to be very active recruiting, and that’s why our staff is here, and that’s what you’ve got to do. We’ve got to go build a roster. But I assure you this: We’re going to do it right, and we’re going to do it so we build this to last.”
New faces:
- Ace Baldwin [6-1 guard from VCU]
- Nick Kern [6-6 guard from VCU]
- RayQuawndis Mitchell [6-5 guard from Kansas City]
- Zach Hicks [6-7 combo forward from Temple]
- Puff Johnson [6-8 guard/forward from North Carolina]
- Qudus Wahab [6-11 center from Georgetown]
- Leo O’Boyle [6-7 forward from Lafayette]
Returning players:
- Kanye Clary [5-11 Guard]
- Jameel Brown [6-4 Guard]
- Demetrius Lilley [6-10 Forward]
