Penn State men's basketball made a top four finalist list for a Class of 2026 five-star recruit. Combo guard Dylan Mingo is the fifth-ranked recruit in the country and No. 2 in his position, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. He is also the top ranked athlete from New York.
Rivals' Joe Tipton revealed the high school senior's list of finalists on Tuesday. Alongside the Nittany Lions, Dylan Mingo has Baylor, North Carolina, and Washington in mind.
So, how did Penn State get into conversation with the No. 16 team in the country (North Carolina), a team on the bubble of the Top 25 (Baylor), and a team posed to be the most improved in the country in 2025-26 (Washington)? A sibling connection.
NEWS: 5⭐️ Dylan Mingo has cut his list to four schools, he tells @Rivals:
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) November 25, 2025
Baylor, Penn State, North Carolina, & Washington
The 6-5 point guard is the the No. 2 overall player in the 2026 class, per Rivals. https://t.co/Az5YIuYAVz pic.twitter.com/HpPKxCiLGQ
Dylan Mingo is the younger brother of Kayden Mingo. Kayden is a true freshman at Penn State and is one of four team captains alongside Josh Reed, Eli Rice, and Sasa Ciani. Kayden currently averages 14.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game with a 45.9 field goal percentage.
PSU hoops freshman Kayden Mingo excels, beating the hype and uplifting the program
As for Dylan, 247Sports' director of scouting Adam Finkelstein wrote:
"Mingo is a big guard with length, versatility, natural feel for the game, and an ability to get wherever he wants with the ball in his hands. He has a tight handle, can break his defender down with combo-moves, navigate a crowded lane instinctively, make reads out of ball-screens, utilize both hands, and create for himself and others. He is also a terrific perimeter rebounder (7.6 per game), very disruptive defender (2 steals), and simultaneously capable of guarding multiple positions."
He also noted that since Dylan just turned 17 in October, his improvements year-to-year are hope for what his future might hold. That's the kind of talent Rhoades can continue building the future of Penn State's program around.
The Nittany Lions are in their rebuilding process, and head coach Mike Rhoades made that clear when he brought in almost an entirely new roster for the current season.
Looking to advance the program beyond 2025-26, Mingo is joined by freshmen Mason Blackwood, Ivan Juric, Melih Tunca, Reggie Grodin, Tibor Mirtic, Justin Houser, and Chris Lotito. Ciani and Reed are the only upper classmen on the roster with Reed playing his final season of collegiate basketball at Penn State.
Having young, talented players mixed with guidance and maturity from the junior and senior is what Rhoades hopes embarks the Nittany Lions on a new path — one to success. Filtering in more talent through recruitment is key, and Rhoades is on his way to landing Kayden's younger brother's commitment.