Penn State basketball shows off depth, versatility: BWI Photos

Penn State basketball head coach Mike Rhoades acknowledged the complexity of building a roster this summer. Meeting with the media on Tuesday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center, the new Nittany Lion leader laid out a concept both simple to understand and difficult to execute.

Arriving to the program this spring, Penn State retained just three of its 13 scholarship players from the 2022-23 season. So, needing to turn to the transfer portal, the Nittany Lion staff took aim at players who wanted to fit into a culture Rhoades was determined to establish early in his tenure in Happy Valley.

“We wanted to get the best players we could, but most importantly, that fit what we want to do in, as I call it, our family,” Rhoades said. “Guys that are going to play for the name on the front more than the name on the back. Be about something that’s bigger than ourselves. That’s just me, that’s just us. Some guys want to do that, some guys don’t. We want to try to identify those guys that want to do that and be a part of something that they’re going to be very, very proud of for a long time. I’ve always been that way.”

LINK: Can Penn State win in Mike Rhoades’ first year? New coach offers early assessment

Now into their fourth week of offseason summer workouts, those Nittany Lions have taken shape.

Opening the doors to the media for interviews with Rhoades and select players, the program also put its full practice session on display to reporters and photographers. Wrangling a combination of veteran players with experience, younger players still developing, and one Class of 2023 freshman with the three holdovers from last year’s team, the availability served as the first opportunity to see this Penn State team in full.

“It was very important that we got the right pieces. It was very important that we got roster depth. We didn’t want to have a ton of grad transfers or a ton of new freshmen or sophomores. We wanted to have some class balance,” Rhoades said. “And we also wanted to have depth overall so we could play multiple guys, a lot of guys, and play guys that can be versatile players and play multiple positions. We put all those stuff in order, but then we had to make sure was a fit for me, a fit for our staff, and for what our program is trying to do moving forward.”

Photographer Steve Manuel was on hand with Blue White Illustrated on Tuesday afternoon to take in the Nittany Lions’ practice. Below, a selection of his pictures from the availability:

Penn State basketball summer practice gallery

Penn State basketball head coach Mike Rhoades. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Sophomore shooting guard Jameel Brown. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Sophomore combo guard Kanye Clary. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Sophomore forward Demetrious Lilley. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Senior point guard Ace Baldwin. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Junior wing Nick Kern. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Junior wing Zach Hicks. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Graduate center Qudus Wahab. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Senior wing Puff Johnson (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Graduate guard RayQuawndis Mitchell.(Photo by Steve Manuel)

Graduate forward Leo O’Boyle. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Sophomore forward Favour Aire. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Freshman guard Bragi Gudmundsson. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Junior guard D’Marco Dunn. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Nick Kern. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Puff Johnson (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Assistant coach Jamal Brunt. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Assistant coach Brent Scott with RayQuawndis Mitchell. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Assistant coach Jimmy Martelli. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Assistant to the head coach Joe Crispin. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

RayQuawndis Mitchell. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

D’Marco Dunn (Photo by Steve Manuel)

RayQuawndis Mitchell, Dan Conlan, Jameel Brown, Demetrious Lilley, and Ace Baldwin. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Mike Rhoades demonstrates a drill on Zach Hicks. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Qudus Wahab finishes a dunk. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Nick Kern drives on Kanye Clary. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Mike Rhoades at Penn State’s summer practice. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Zach Hicks. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Favour Aire drives on D’Marco Dunn. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Nick Kern puts up a shot on Zach Hicks. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Qudus Wahab backs down Favour Aire. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Nick Kern finishes a dunk. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Penn State guard Ace Baldwin dishes an outlet pass. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Dan Conlan. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

Mike Rhoades at practice. (Photo by Steve Manuel)

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