While there is a lot of attention being placed on how Penn State finishes their 2025 recruiting cycle on the football side of things, the basketball program is looking to get things rolling under [autotag]Mike Rhoades[/autotag] now that he’s had a full year in Happy Valley.
The former VCU head coach was able to build a solid pipeline at that mid-major level, and the hope is he can do the same thing for the Nittany Lions.
So far, Rhoades and his staff were already able to make one splash in the 2025 class when they landed four-star recruit Mason Blackwood from New Hampshire. The 6-foot-7 wing is the first major get that Penn State has secured in his tenure.
But, the Nittany Lions are still searching for another high-profile commitment.
Recently, four-star guard [autotag]Kayden Mingo[/autotag] trimmed his list of schools to four, and Penn State was included.
https://www.instagram.com/_kaydenmingo/p/DBEzOpgSmAn/?hl=en
Ranked as the No. 44 overall player in the 2025 cycle by On3’s Industry Ranking, this would easily be the biggest win Rhoades has made on the recruiting trail.
“The energy at Penn State is second to none. The program is great, I really enjoyed watching their practice. The facilities were beautiful and they really impressed me also. The coaches told me they plan on me coming in and they want me to be their point guard and run the show,” Mingo said to On3.
He visited Penn State back in September, and even though that was one of his first official visits of the fall, that trip clearly left a lasting impression on him, describing it as “excellent.”
On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Nittany Lions as the favorite to earn a commitment from him with 21.6%, ahead of the other three on his list Virginia Tech, Georgia, and Wake Forest.
“My interactions with the staff were great. We have all been building for a while now so getting to know more about each coach and meeting their families was excellent. I loved the fit and really enjoyed how Coach (Mike) Rhoades explained to me the vision he has in place for me,” Mingo added.
There is still work to do before this is finalized, but Penn State is in a good position to land their most high-profile recruit of the Rhoades era.