Penn State Basketball Shifts Focus to Rebuilding Ahead of 2025–26 Season
With the 2024–25 season concluded, the Penn State Nittany Lions men’s basketball team, under the leadership of head coach Mike Rhoades, is concentrating on rebuilding and preparing for the upcoming 2025–26 campaign. The team chose to forgo postseason play, including the NIT and Crown of College Basketball tournaments, to prioritize development and future success .
The offseason presents challenges, notably the departure of key players such as Ace Baldwin Jr., D’Marco Dunn, Zach Hicks, Puff Johnson, and Nick Kern Jr. . Additionally, center Yanic Konan Niederhauser has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft while maintaining his collegiate eligibility, leaving the possibility of his return open .
Despite these changes, the program has secured a commitment from three-star center Justin Houser from The Phelps School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, marking the beginning of the 2025 recruiting class .
Coach Rhoades remains committed to building a competitive program, emphasizing development and strategic recruitment to strengthen the team’s future prospects.
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