Mike Rhoades sizes up early Penn State roster construction
Penn State head coach Mike Rhoades joined Jon Rothstein’s podcast early this week. Within the wide-ranging conversation, the Nittany Lions’ new leader was asked about roster construction for the program moving forward.
Cutting through the pretense, Rhoades made plain that his first offseason at Penn State wasn’t going to be the norm.
Unable to recruit traditionally, given that the Class of 2023 had already overwhelmingly signed letters of intent before his hiring, and needing to turn to the transfer portal, Rhoades clarified what he’s expecting moving forward.
“We are going to blend things,” Rhoades said. “This year we got to a point where I had three guys. We need 10 guys this offseason, this spring. But we wanted to make sure they were the right guys.”
Thus far, Penn State has secured eight of those 10 needed commitments ahead of the 2023-24 season. The additions have covered every position and every year of eligibility. And, they’ve come alongside the retention of three rising sophomores from Penn State’s 2022-23 team.
Sizing up Penn State basketball’s foundation
Ace Baldwin, the reigning A10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, was the first domino to fall. And, as Rhoades explained to Rothstein, that initial commitment, with the accompanying commitment of Nick Kern from VCU, was crucial
“Number one, getting Ace Baldwin here from VCU, he was the player of the year and defensive player of the year in the A10. He and Nick Kern came with me from VCU,” Rhoades said. “Those guys know what I want and the culture part of it. Those two guys will impact our program from day one.”
Baldwin helped lift the Rams with his 12.7 points, 5.8 assists, and 2.9 rebounds over 34.9 minutes per game last season. In the process, he guided VCU to a 27-8 overall record, an A10 championship (15-3), an A10 Tournament title, and an NCAA Tournament berth. With Kern following shortly thereafter, the Nittany Lions had a foundation upon which to build.
So too were the Nittany Lions reliant upon the foundation already existing in Kanye Clary and Jameel Brown. With Clary coming off a debut season in which he served as Penn State’s change of pace offensively to Jalen Pickett, plus Brown eyeing a bigger opportunity to contribute, Rhoades has plans for both players.
“Kanye Clary, who was a freshman here last year, will be a sophomore, another point guard. I think he and Ace, the way they can push the ball and create tempo and the way they can guard, and we’ll play them both together as well. I am excited about him,” Rhoades said. “Jameel Brown, who played behind a bunch of fifth-year guys last year. Philly guy that can really shoot the ball. Excited to see what him given a chance now, what he can do.”
Building a roster
The additions in the time since those foundational commitments have run the gamut for Penn State. Temple shooter Zach Hicks, a 6-foot-8, 195-pound wing, joined on April 20, North Carolina small forward Puff Johnson landed on April 26, and Georgetown center Qudus Wahab, listed at 6-foot-11, 245 pounds, hopped aboard on April 27.
They were joined by Leo O’Boyle, a 6-7 shooting forward from Lafayette, and RayQuawndis Mitchell, a 6-5 graduate transfer combo guard from Kansas City.
Within that group, Rhoades highlighted some names expected to provide an instant boost this season.
“Qudus Wahab is a fifth-year grad transfer from Georgetown. He’s been in this league when he was at Maryland. He’s played up big-time basketball and he’s a guy that can anchor stuff in the post for us,” Rhoades said. “Puff Johnson, from North Carolina, who has great experience. A Pennsylvania guy coming home. So excited about that. RayQuawndis Mitchell from UMKC, averaged right around 18 a game last year. Has great size and can score the ball in different ways.
“So we got a group of guys I think that could impact our program in different ways. But, it’s how we build this team that is the most important thing, led by Ace and some of these other guys that we’re gonna do what we need to do.”
Next steps
Two days later from the interview, Penn State secured its 11th filled scholarship for the 2023-24 season in Bragi Gudmundsson. A 6-foot-5 point guard out of Iceland, Gudmundsson is classified as a 2023 prospect with full availability of college eligibility at hand.
Framing the crossroads as one in which Penn State needed to be discerning in its choices in the transfer portal, Rhoades detailed the outline of what he wants to bring into the program in the future while pointing to the progress made so far.
“We’ll try to find transfers that can help and get us older and bring us experience, but also high school kids that we think would be great players here and develop here,” Rhoades said. “I think we’ve always done that very well everywhere I’ve been. Pick out some guys that we like that we want in our programs and then develop them until they turn into all-conference players and pros and I think that formula has worked for us everywhere we’ve been. We’re going to do that here at Penn State as well.
“I do think we got some really good pieces, guys that can come here, they’re gonna play right away, but I think they can pick us up right away and get things going. So I think we got a really good balance so far. It’s creating some depth already, which is sometimes hard to do in your first year.”
Where things stand (11 scholarships filled, 2 scholarships open)
PG Ace Baldwin, Kanye Clary, Bragi Gudmundsson
CG Jameel Brown, RayQuawndis Mitchell
SF Nick Kern, Zach Hicks, Puff Johnson, Leo O’Boyle
Penn State scholarship breakdown by class
Bonus year (3): Qudus Wahab, Leo O’Boyle, RayQuawndis Mitchell
Fourth year (2): Ace Baldwin, Puff Johnson
Third year (2): Nick Kern, Zach Hicks
Second year (3): Kanye Clary, Jameel Brown, Demetrius Lilley
First year (1): Bragi Gudmundsson
The post Mike Rhoades sizes up early Penn State roster construction appeared first on On3.
