Penn State Basketball Undergoes a Roster Reset

Coach Mike Rhoades is leaning heavily on the transfer portal for his first Nittany Lions team.

Penn State expected a basketball reset following Micah Shrewsberry's departure for Notre Dame and Mike Rhoades' March hiring. Graduations and transfers completely turned over the roster, forcing Rhoades and his staff to cast quick and wide nets to rebuild their team.

That's what the Lions have done since late March, when Rhoades took the job and began his search. Rhoades has signed six players from the NCAA Transfer Portal, the latest from Lafayette College of the Patriot League, and retained three players from last year's roster. Penn State will introduce plenty of new faces next season, so let's gather what we know about the 2023-24 Penn State men's basketball roster.

The Transfers

Ace Baldwin, Jr.: He'll be the catalyst of Rhoades' offense, just as he was at VCU, where he was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, Baldwin led VCU in minutes and points (12.7 per game), is fluent in Rhoades' system and has the staff's confidence. As Rhoades said of Baldwin during the NCAA Tournament, "He's the head of our snake."

Nick Kern, Jr.: Another transfer from VCU, Kern is a 6-6 guard who started 19 games for the Rams last season. He works well with Baldwin and should give the Lions a backcourt framework around which to build.

Zach Hicks: A 6-8 shooter from Temple, Hicks played a lot of minutes (32.3 per game) and took a lot of 3-pointers (225) for the Owls last season. Hicks could be a Seth Lundy-type scorer for the Lions.

Puff Johnson: A Pittsburgh native who played three seasons at North Carolina, Johnson is an intriguing player. When healthy (he missed a combined 30 games during his first two seasons), Johnson demonstrates a world of potential. He played particularly well in North Carolina's run to the 2022 NCAA Tournament title game. Johnson averaged 16 minutes per game for the Tar Heels last season.

Qudus Wahab: A major signing for Rhoades, who needed to add size to his roster. Wahab is a 6-11 center who has played at Georgetown and Maryland, so he has Big Ten and big game experience. He's a veteran, bringing 88 starts to the Lions, who averaged 9.6/7.1 for the Hoyas last season. As a one-year player for Penn State, Wahab fills an essential need inside.

Leo O'Boyle: Penn State's latest transfer played four seasons at Lafayette College, where he led the team in scoring, minutes and, most notably, 3-point percentage (40.7). The 6-7 forward from Scranton is a career 37.5-percent 3-point shooter, which means he could carve an Andrew Funk role on this team.

The Returning Lions

Kanye Clary: The 5-11 sophomore guard is Penn State's most experienced returning player, averaging 10.4 minutes per game last season. He carved a niche in Shrewsberry's offense as a ball-handler behind Jalen Pickett. That role is going to change in Rhoades' system, particularly with a new point guard on the roster.

Jameel Brown: Though he played limited minutes (4.6 per game) last season, Brown represented an important decision for the Lions. He was a key player in Shrewsberry's 2022 recruiting class and kept open a recruiting door to Philadelphia.

Demetrius Lilley: A 6-10 forward, Lilley played in only five games last season but gets a fresh start under Rhoades.

The Departures

Four Lions who entered the NCAA Transfer Portal have announced new schools. The most notable are Kebba Njie, a starter who will join Shrewsberry at Notre Dame, and Evan Mahaffey, who is transferring to Ohio State. Dallion Johnson is transferring to Florida Gulf Coast to play for former Penn State coach Pat Chambers, and Caleb Dorsey is transferring to William & Mary.

In addition, all three of Penn State's 2023 commits will join Shrewsberry at Notre Dame. The last to commit was Logan Imes, an Indiana native who played club basketball with Braeden Shrewsberry, who's also joining his father's roster in South Bend. Carey Booth, son of Denver Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth, is signing with Notre Dame as well after committing to Penn State.  

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.