Next year, Penn State men’s basketball will officially be without its top five scorers from the 2024-25 season.
Nittany Lions center Yanic Konan Neiderhauser is reportedly staying in the NBA Draft, according to basketball prospect blogger Jacob Myers. YKN led the team in blocks and rebounds last season.
NEWS: Penn State’s Yanic Konan Niederhauser will stay in the 2025 NBA Draft, he told @League_Him. The Swiss 7-footer has been arguably the biggest winner of the Pre-Draft process so far. pic.twitter.com/E81NUHSNsC
— Jacob Myers (@League_Him) May 28, 2025
The Swiss big man originally entered the draft in April but did not hire an agent, keeping the possibility of a return to Penn State open. He had a dream-like pre-draft process, wowing scouts at the G League Elite Camp and earning an invite to the NBA Draft Combine. His testing numbers were off the charts, and he quickly garnered plenty of intrigue, making the decision to go pro an easy one.
Konan Niederhauser broke out in Happy Valley last season after transferring from Northern Illinois, earning All-Big Ten honorable mention honors. His 12.9 points per game were second among Nittany Lions, behind only Ace Baldwin Jr.
Mike Rhoades is now staring down the barrel of a brutal offseason as Baldwin, Zach Hicks, Nicholas Kern, and Puff Johnson are all out of eligibility. The Nittany Lions, however, have already added Josh Reed from Cincinnati through the portal and have a solid crop of young talent on deck.