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Penn State Basketball: Nittany Lions Freshman Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Jahvin Carter was part of Penn State's top-25 recruiting class. He played in 264 games for the Nittany Lions last season.

Mark Wogenrich

Penn State basketball guard Jahvin Carter dribbles the ball during a Nittany Lions game.
Penn State basketball guard Jahvin Carter dribbles the ball during a Nittany Lions game. / Taj Falconer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Penn State freshman gaurd Jahvin Carter, who played in 26 games for the Nittany Lions last season, will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. Blake Smith of Recruits Zone first reported Carter's decision Wednesday. Carter will have three seasons of eligibility.

Penn State coach Mike Rhoades confirmed Carter's decision Wednesday during his year-end press conference.

"I had a great conversation with Jahvin this week and I have nothing but great things to say about him," Rhoades told reporters in State College. "He's an awesome young man, a pleasure to coach this year, awesome family. Love, love, love his family and the way they go about it. We had an open conversation, really appreciate the honesty and the feedback from Jahvin. And Jahvin was looking for something that he felt was out there, and I'm OK with that."

Carter, a 6-3 guard from Tennessee, averaged 8.3 minutes and 2.1 points per game for the Nittany Lions. He shot 33 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from 3-point range. Carter scored a season-high 12 points against UMBC in November and played a season-high 23 minutes vs. Illinois.

Carter is the first Penn State player to enter the transfer portal following the Nittany Lions' 16-15 season. Penn State concluded the year with an 86-75 upset win over Wisconsin, which reached the Big Ten Tournamment championship game.

Carter was a 3-star prospect from Tennessee's Alcoa High and the state's second-ranked player, according to 247Sports. He led Alcoa High to a 2023 state title and scored 2,102 career points.

Penn State, which went 16-15 under second-year coach Mike Rhoades, loses five seniors from the 2024-25 team. That includes point guard Ace Baldwin Jr., the two-time Big Ten defensive player of the year. Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft recently gave Rhoades a vote of confidence for the future.

“No one's more frustrated and bottled up like Mike is right now," Kraft said in February. "And I'm not making excuses, and he wouldn't either. We've got to get better. But I'm not looking for a quick fix. I'm looking to do this the right way.”

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.

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