A New Era for Penn State Hoops
Penn State’s men’s basketball program is gearing up for the 2026‑27 season with a roster that features just one returning starter, center Ivan Jurić, while head coach Mike Rhoades has assembled a group of nine newcomers.
Rhoades has emphasized that the team will lean on maturity and depth, noting that the NIL budget sits near the bottom of the Big Ten and that the program must maximize every available resource.
Among the transfers is Brant Byers, who comes from Miami (Ohio) where he averaged 14.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game last season; Byers, a lifelong Penn State fan, spoke about the importance of consistency and staying focused on the team’s objectives.
The coaching staff also awaits the arrival of international commits Roko Prkačin and Francois Wibaut, while former player Josh Reed has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking an additional year of eligibility, a development Rhoades says reflects the broader legal shifts reshaping college basketball.
Maturity and Physical Growth
Jurić, who has added roughly 40 pounds since last year, says the extra mass will help him dominate the boards and improve his defensive presence, and he hopes his experience will guide the newer players through the challenges ahead.
Collectively, the squad aims to compete fiercely within the conference, leverage its seasoned core, and translate experience into wins despite the constraints of a limited NIL environment.