Transfer portal players Mike Rhoades and Penn State have contacted

The Nittany Lions had a very respectable first season under head coach Mike Rhoades. This will be the first off-season for Rhoades, and it will be interesting to see how the staff approaches the raucous transfer portal. Penn State has had five players enter the portal, so this opened several scholarship spots for potential incoming transfers.  

Using one of those spots, Penn State picked up a commitment from Kachi Nzeh in the transfer portal. Nzeh, a 6’8 center from Xavier, averaged 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last season. He only managed to play 9.8 minutes per game, but he accumulated consistent playing time towards the end of the season. He has three years of eligibility remaining, so look for the Nittany Lions to develop Nzeh into a rotational player next season. 

April is a pivotal time for roster construction, and Mike Rhoades and his staff have been very active in the transfer portal. Here are seven players that the Penn State basketball staff has reached out to thus far: 

Wenzel is a tall guard who has been at Wyoming for the past three seasons. Starting 31 games last year in the Mountain West, he averaged 11.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He excels from beyond the arc, shooting 37.7% from three on 5.4 attempts per game. He is a key target for the Nittany Lions, as he would bolster their shooting and rebounding.

Thiero has been with Kentucky for the past two seasons. He is a tall, slashing wing who shot 49.2% from the field while grabbing 5 rebounds per game in the SEC last season. He started 19 games last season for the blue blood Wildcats, and he has improved significantly since his freshman year. He has elite size and length that would be beneficial to Penn State. Thiero would be a great addition to Mike Rhoades and company, as he is currently ranked in the top 15 of 247sports’ transfer portal rankings.

Rice is a guard from Nebraska who had an injury-riddled freshman season. He had an ankle injury that caused him to only play 17 games for the Cornhuskers. He averaged 4.2 points per game and shot 37% from three. With further experience and coaching, Rice could blossom into a long, rangy shooter. He still has three years of eligibility remaining, and Penn State has shown interest in recruiting Rice to University Park.

Newell is a forward from Cal who started 39 games for the Golden Bears in his two seasons with the team. He averaged 5.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last season. Newell is best inside the arc, shooting nearly 50% on two-point shots. He is a very realistic target and would make an immediate impact on Penn State, who are in need of interior scoring and rebounding.

Tyson is a dynamic forward who was honored on the All-Missouri Valley Conference Team this past season at Belmont. He averaged 16.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game with the Bruins, and he shot the three at a 46.5% clip, which ranked 2nd among qualified shooters in the country. He excelled in Belmont’s high-paced offense, one that was similar to the Nittany Lions' offense last season. Along with Thiero, Tyson is regarded as one of the top players in the transfer portal.

Jimerson is a high-volume shooting guard who has been at the core of Saint Louis for the past few seasons. He averaged 15.8 points per game last season while shooting 35.9% from three. His three-point percentage last season was the lowest of his career, as he shot the ball at 39.5% from three throughout his long college career. Jimerson has proved he can score at will, and the Nittany Lions would be eager to pair him next to Ace Baldwin next season in the backcourt.

Meyer flourished at Coastal Carolina in his freshman season. He is a guard who can score at all three levels. He averaged 15.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 44.9% from the floor and 40.2% from three. Meyer was the leading scorer for the Chanticleers last season. He would certainly help the Nittany Lions shoot the three next season, as they only made 33.4% of their threes during last year’s campaign.