Mariana Forteza Site


<p>Thousands of people flocked to downtown State College on a sunny Saturday afternoon to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ community.</p>



<p>Presented by Centre LGBTQA Support Network, Downtown State College Improvement District and State College Borough, the third annual State College Pride <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/community/parade-festival-among-state-college-pride-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">included</a> a parade of colorful floats and marchers through town and a festival in Sidney Friedman Park, among other events throughout the weekend.</p>



<p>State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, served as grand marshal of the parade and festival. A frequent visitor to Centre County, Kenyatta is the first openly LGBTQ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.</p>



<p>He called 2023 &#8220;probably the most important year for Pride in a really long time,&#8221; noting a vocal anti-LGBTQ contingent and legislation in a number of states, particularly related to transgender individuals. </p>



<p>&#8220;In this moment, in this Pride year, what we are doing right now, showing up with joy in our hearts, showing up for and with each other in real community, that is critical right now,&#8221; Kenyatta said. &#8220;Because this is actually what our communities look like. This is actually where most people are&#8230; Do not believe the noise and the nonsense that most people are as hateful and vitriolic as some of the politicians who unfortunately get elected&#8230;. For Pride, it’s really critical for us as a community that we recognize our joy does not exist in contrast to their hatred.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-kenyatta-lane-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424953"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, State College Pride grand marshal, and Judge Timika Lane lead the 2023 Pride parade. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Pennsylvania, Kenyatta said, should aspire to be the best place to live, raise a family and retire for everyone, including LGBTQ people.</p>



<p>&#8220;We deserve to be happy, to be joyous, to be just who you are every single day, no matter what they’re talking about, no matter what they’re doing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You just be who the hell you are.&#8221;</p>



<p>State College Mayor Ezra Nanes acknowledged that some in attendance may be feeling scared, worried or uncertain because of events nationally. </p>



<p>&#8220;It’s OK to feel that,&#8221; Nanes said. &#8220;I want you to know that me, Ezra Nanes, my family, the Borough of State College, we are here for you. We will always be here for you. We’re going to keep building on the amazing work that you’ve already done, that we’ve already done together.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-3-1024x751.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424937"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-8-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424942"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Nanes issued a proclamation last week declaring June as Pride Month in the borough, and as the parent of an LGBTQ child, he called Pride &#8220;not just principle,&#8221; but also personal.</p>



<p>&#8220;One of the greatest joys in life, whether you’re a parent or a sibling or just an adult with a child in your life that matters, is supporting that child in discovering who they are,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think that’s a really important principle of what Pride is, that we all believe in helping people discover themselves, not telling them who they should be.&#8221;</p>



<p>State Rep. Paul Takac, D-Lemont, said Pride is also personal for him and his family and called it a &#8220;joyful occasion.</p>



<p>&#8220;This represents the absolute best of what State College is and can be,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This sets the standard for what every day should be like. You are not only seen, you are not only accepted, but you should be celebrated and you should be loved. If we could bottle today and make every day like that, wouldn’t this be a better world, a better place to be?&#8221;</p>



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<figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption"><em>Scenes from the 2023 Pride parade in downtown State College. Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Timika Lane, a Philadelphia judge who is running for Pennsylvania Superior Court in November, emphasized the importance of individuals making their voices heard to ensure all are treated with dignity and respect.</p>



<p>&#8220;We have to decide in Pennsylvania, what is it going to be? Are we going to be a place of love or are we going to be a place of hate?&#8230; Your voice matters,&#8221; Lane said.</p>



<p>Kenyatta urged those in attendance to be true to themselves, knowing that it will inspire someone else to do the same.</p>



<p>&#8220;If we lift each other up, if we encourage each other to be brave, if we remind ourselves that we are the majority of this commonwealth, that we are the majority of this nation, when we do that then we will continue to pull this nation closer to making the ideals of freedom, justice and fairness real for everybody,&#8221; he said. &#8220;No matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter who you love, no matter how you worship or choose not to, here in Pennsylvania it’s about you getting a fair shot and a fair shake. We’re going to keep doing that together.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-9-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424943"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>State College Pride has grown substantially since it was first held in 2021. Last year it drew an estimated 4,000 people and organizers expected that number would increase again for the third edition.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.centrelgbtqa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centre LGBTQA Support Network</a> (CLSN), which was founded in 2014, has been instrumental in that, as well as in providing resources year round. Sue Marshall, a founding member and current board secretary, said planning for next year&#8217;s Pride will start next week.</p>



<p>In the shorter term, however, CLSN will be celebrating another advancement. A long-planned LGBTQ center for downtown State College will open sometime in August at the corner of Calder Way and South Pugh Street, Marshall said.</p>



<p>&#8220;We can’t wait,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We will have a big opening celebration.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-anchor-arrow-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424949"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Community members danced while Anchor &amp; Arrow played at the 2023 State College Pride festival on Saturday, June 10, in Sidney Friedman Park.</em> <em>Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>


‘Showing Up with Joy in Our Hearts.’ State College Celebrates Pride


<p>There may be just one person who claims not to know who will start at quarterback for Penn State football when the team begins its season against West Virginia on Sept. 2.</p>



<p>While Drew Allar has been set as the presumed successor to longtime starting quarterback Sean Clifford since the day that he stepped onto Penn State’s campus in January 2022, James Franklin didn’t declare a winner to the Nittany Lions’ quarterback competition with 86 days until the season opener.</p>



<p>“We have competition at every single position, every single year, returning starter or not,” Franklin told the media on Thursday. “I think that’s the right thing to do.”</p>



<p>Allar’s competition at the position is Beau Pribula, who, like Allar, was a member of the Nittany Lions’ recruiting Class of 2022. The difference between the two was that Allar was a five-star recruit by the time he arrived on campus. Pribula was a three-star.</p>



<p>More recently, Allar took snaps behind Clifford in the 2022 season. The youngster played in enough games that he was unable to take a redshirt season. By contrast, Pribula didn’t take a snap in a Penn State game until the Blue-White Game in April, when he attempted 22 of his 27 passes with second-string players.</p>



<p>Franklin’s hesitation to name a starter isn’t surprising. Entering his 10th year with Penn State, Franklin wants competition at the position. It’s likely that Allar will only stick around Penn State for two more years. Franklin will need someone to step up when the Ohio native is gone.</p>



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<p>It’s a situation that Franklin has had before. From 2016-17, he had running backs Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders on the same roster. Barkley was a shout for a Heisman candidate in college, and when Sanders turned pro, he reached last season’s Super Bowl as the starting running back for the Philadelphia Eagles.</p>



<p>At Penn State, Barkley was the evident starter. But Franklin said that competition between the two made them both better. If Franklin has his way, the same will happen to Allar and Pribula.</p>



<p>“I think at times there may have been some frustration with that, but I truly believe that type of competition in college really set them up to be successful in the NFL,” Franklin said. “[Barkley] always had somebody behind him trying to take reps away from him. And [Sanders], as a young player, was trying to overtake [Barkley]. So I think that is a healthy position to be in.”</p>



<p>Franklin also has to answer the question of how he’ll use each quarterback. As Mike Yurcich, Penn State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach said at the same press conference, each quarterback has different styles. Gameplans have to be tailored to those styles.</p>



<p>Allar’s been described as a quarterback who’s steady in the pocket. Teammates have raved about his ability to place passes in locations where only a receiver can catch them. Allar can be mobile but his arm is what really sets him apart from the pack.</p>



<p>Pribula, however, is described as athletic. He’s the quarterback that Franklin and Yurcich could turn to when they need to push a pile or in a situation that calls for a mobile quarterback. He’s the Nittany Lions’ alternate.</p>



<p>However Franklin plays the two quarterbacks, it will likely be some time before Penn State fans have an answer to the question that’s hung over the program for more than a year. Franklin noted that he wanted Clifford to compete for a starting role for the six years that the recent&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/04/29/sean-clifford-drafted-no-149-overall-by-green-bay-packers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NFL draftee</a></strong>&nbsp;spent in Happy Valley. The same will apply to Allar.</p>



<p>If Franklin has 86 days to name a starter against the Mountaineers, he may just use all 86.</p>


‘We Have Competition at Every Single Position’: Penn State Quarterback Question Still Unanswered


<p>Penn State men&#8217;s basketball could be hitting the court in Atlanta this year, according to multiple reports by national outlets. According to <a href="https://bracketeer.org/nonconference/big10">The Bracketeer</a>, the Nittany Lions are set to face Georgia Tech in the Holiday Hoopsgiving doubleheader at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. South Florida is reportedly the second team in the event set to take place on Dec. 17.</p>



<p>&#8220;Nothing is contractually finalized or announced at this point,&#8221; a Penn State spokesperson said. </p>



<p>While Penn State has not yet announced its entire non-conference schedule, various non-conference games are already known. Among them, the Nittany Lions will play in Orlando in an early season tournament field featuring Boise State, Butler, Florida Atlantic, Iowa State, Texas A&amp;M, VCU and Virginia Tech as part of the ESPN Events Invitational.</p>



<p>Penn State does know the rough outline of its Big Ten slate <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/penn-state-basketball/penn-state-mens-basketball-big-ten-releases-single-play-and-double-play-opponents/">following an announcement in April</a> of single-play and double-play opponents for the 2023-24 Big Ten slate.</p>



<p>The Nittany Lions are under new head coach Mike Rhoades, who left VCU for Penn State this offseason. Rhoades&#8217; buyout included a clause that requires Penn State to play VCU on the road. It&#8217;s unclear if that matchup will take place this season or during a future season. Penn State also owns a home game against UMass after traveling on the road to face the Minutemen. The Nittany Lions are not part of this year&#8217;s Gavitt Games, which pits Big Ten and Big East schools against one another.</p>


Penn State Men’s Basketball: Nittany Lions Set for Game in Atlanta, Per Report


<p>Penn State men&#8217;s basketball finally rounded out its first roster under new head coach Mike Rhoades on Thursday with the commitment of 6-foot-5 shooting guard D’Marco Dunn from North Carolina out of the transfer portal. Dunn is a product of Westover High School in North Carolina but originally hails from Tucson, Arizona.</p>



<p>Dunn is the second player to join Penn State from UNC, heading to State College alongside former and now current teammate Puff Johnson who also committed to Rhoades out of the portal earlier this summer. The 247 Network listed Dunn as four-star prospect and the No. 90 recruit in the nation as a member of the 2021 recruiting cycle.</p>



<p>While at UNC, Dunn averaged just 2.7 points per game but saw just 10.3 minutes of action per game on average. Dunn topped out at 14 points in a win over Louisville on the road for the Tar Heels during a January victory. He would later score eight points in an ACC Tournament win over Boston College.</p>



<p>Penn State&#8217;s roster is now complete featuring nine players out of the transfer portal following the departure of former head coach Micah Shrewsberry to Notre Dame. It has been just 72 days since Rhoades was hired in a process that took just a week following Shrewsberry leaving the program for South Bend.</p>


Penn State Men’s Basketball Roster Complete with Addition of North Carolina Guard


<p>Penn State athletics announced on Thursday afternoon that its two previous name, image and likeness [NIL] collectives have merged into one, creating Happy Valley United. </p>



<p><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/penn-state-sports/penn-state-athletics-qa-with-success-with-honor-executive-director-kerry-small/">Success With Honor,</a> which focused on football and men&#8217;s basketball with the capabilities to support all of Penn State&#8217;s 31 sports, and Lions Legacy Club, the NIL collective singularly focused on Penn State football are the two organizations part of the merger into Happy Valley United.</p>



<p>According to a press release, <a href="https://happyvalleyunited.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Happy Valley United</a> will be run by a full-time team led by a new CEO which is set to be named at a later date. The board of Happy Valley United will include noteworthy names with Penn State ties such as Ira Lubert, Anthony Misitano, Bob Poole, Larry Cusack, Mark Toniatti, B.J. Werzyn and Matt DeSoto.</p>



<p>“Both groups have been great supporters of our NIL efforts to date, but this merger was an important step in our ever-changing collegiate athletics landscape,” Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Pat Kraft said in a statement. “It was imperative for these two powerful collectives to join forces to provide a large breadth of NIL opportunities for student-athletes in all 31 of our sports programs to continue to push us forward.”</p>



<p>“I am very proud of the work that has been done over the past 18 months by our staff and excited about the future that brings these two groups together to keep Penn-State athletics competitive and maintain the respectable reputation that characterizes our program,” said Mark Toniatti, former CEO of Success With Honor and current board member of Happy Valley United.</p>



<p>The merger marks the end of a two-collective era which saw no small amount of public sparring between members of their respective collectives and general lack of cohesion. NIL collectives technically do not fall under Penn State&#8217;s jurisdiction but do work closely with the athletic department.</p>



<p>The collective itself will be run by Blueprint Sports [BPS], which specializes in the NIL landscape and running similar collectives. Penn State alum Rob Sine leads BPS. </p>



<p>“Happy Valley United is a crystal-clear signal that the competition is not within Penn State, but our competition is around the country,&#8221; Sine said. &#8220;A unified collective combined with dedicated resources, infrastructure, and an impressive team of professionals will deliver on bold, aggressive, and ambitious fundraising needs that will keep Penn State athletics at the pinnacle of college athletics on the gridiron, on the court, and anywhere else you cheer on the Nittany Lions.”</p>



<p>How this impacts Penn State&#8217;s approach to NIL and its ability to raise funds for a unique and ever-changing landscape remains to be seen, but a new singularly focused approach seems likely to be a welcome change of pace as the Nittany Lions look to hold steady in the college athletics&#8217; arms and NIL, race.</p>


Penn State NIL Collectives Announce Merger to Form Happy Valley United


<p><em>(Editor’s note: This is the second part of a two-part interview with new Penn State men’s basketball head coach Mike Rhoades)</em></p>



<p>UNIVERSITY PARK — When Pennsylvania native Mike Rhoades had the opportunity to coach at Penn State, he jumped at the chance.</p>



<p>Since his arrival, he hasn’t regretted that decision one bit. In fact, he said the transition has gone rather smoothly.</p>



<p>“It’s been great and it’s been a lot of fun. Now, it’s been absolutely crazy. It’s been non-stop, but it’s been so much fun,” Rhoades said. “Reconnecting with a lot of people that I haven’t seen in a long time (and) meeting so many new people. There’s a reason they call it Happy Valley around here. People love to work at Penn State and people love to be in this community. It’s been really refreshing to me.”</p>



<p>Rhoades came to Penn State via Virginia Commonwealth University, where he racked up a 102-53 record, good for a winning percentage of .658. His squads also made a pair of NCAA tournament appearances.</p>



<p>At Penn State, Rhoades faces a challenge. When he arrived at University Park, the cupboard was pretty bare. Due to graduations and the transfer portal, the Nittany Lion roster was in shambles. Immediately, Rhoades and his staff went to work.</p>



<p>“We’re working really hard to put this roster together. We’re starting from scratch, but it’s been a lot of fun. The neat thing about it is we know where we want to go. To put everything in place to get there has been a special thing,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>Rhoades and his staff have made use of the transfer portal as they try to re-build the Nittany Lions.</p>



<p>“It is what it is,” Rhoades said. “You just keep moving forward. Recruiting is always ups and downs. One day, you have a lead and you feel good about it. The next day, it’s not there. You’ll have a kid on campus and you don’t know how it’s going. The next day, he commits to you,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>Rhoades has been a head coach for more than a decade. He knows how the game is played.</p>



<p>“I always say, ‘In recruiting, expect the unexpected.’ In recruiting, there’s always things I’m just going to lean on and trust on,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>Filling that roster has been on his mind 24/7.</p>



<p>“Every day, there has been so much to do. But that’s what happens in your first 100 days. You set the tone of your program. Recruiting, building your staff. You put your head down every day and push through. That’s the key,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>Thus far, Rhoades has added seven players from the NCAA transfer portal. While there is still a long way to go, he likes the roster he’s built to date.</p>



<p>Rhoades has been out and about. He’s made appearances at nearly every Penn State spring sports event. He likes getting immersed not only in the campus, but the community.</p>



<p>“I have a cool platform as a coach. The first thing you need to do is give people your time and be present. Sometimes, just a handshake, a hug or a picture will go a long way,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>In the movie “Field of Dreams,” the main character, Ray, heard a voice that said, ‘if you build it, he will come.’ Well, Rhoades believes that if you win, people will come.</p>



<p>“Everywhere I’ve been, when we were winning, more people showed up. More people talked about it. You get people to jump on the wagon and stay on the wagon for good,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>According to Rhoades, Penn State basketball fans are going to see a completely different style of play.</p>



<p>“The exciting style of play that we have will be different than a lot of teams in our league,” Rhoades said. “I think that will create a cool buzz and people will really enjoy it.”</p>



<p>Rhoades’ goal is simple: Put a winner on the court, fill the Bryce Jordan Center and get back to the NCAA tournament.</p>



<p>“You gotta go and win, but doing it the right way is No. 1. We want to make people feel proud of what we are doing,” Rhoades said. “Without a doubt, you’ve got to go and win.”</p>


Rhoades Wastes No Time Filling PSU Hoops Roster


<p>With a roster full of new faces and a coaching staff looking to build an early bond, Penn State men&#8217;s basketball will get a jump on the early stages of the 2023-24 season with a seven-day foreign trip to the Bahamas for at least two exhibition games August 6-13.</p>



<p>The Nittany Lions will stay and play their exhibition games at Baha Mar Resort in Nassau. Exact game dates and opponents will be finalized in the coming months.</p>



<p>“What a perfect time for our basketball family to have a foreign trip to the Bahamas,” said new Penn State head coach Mike Rhoades. “This valuable time to work and play together during a foreign trip will help us as we move into our first season together. The trip will allow us practice time prior to our departure and game experience that can set the tone as we move forward. </p>



<p>“We have many new players with a brand-new staff and the time together will hopefully create bonds and relationships that we will value very much,” continued Rhoades. “We will spend seven days in the Bahamas and play some games, but most importantly create some lifelong memories as members of Penn State Basketball. We are very appreciative of those who made this foreign trip possible.&nbsp; We will take full advantage of this great opportunity.”</p>



<p>NCAA basketball teams are permitted to take an international tour to play exhibition games once every four years. The Nittany Lions last traveled abroad to the Bahamas in 2017 and Belgium, France and England in 2013.</p>



<p>The Nittany Lions enter their first season under Rhoades in 2023-24 with nearly an entire roster of new players. So far this offseason just three players from Penn State&#8217;s 2022-23 roster are still remaining on the depth chart following the departure of now former head coach Micah Shrewsberry.</p>



<p>Penn State is coming off a 2022-23 season that saw the Nittany Lions finish 23-14 overall and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.</p>


Penn State Men’s Basketball: Nittany Lions Set for Preseason Bahamas Trip


<p>New Penn State head coach Mike Rhoades continued to fill out his first roster in State College on Monday afternoon, adding 6-foot-11 former Miami center Favour Aire out of the NCAA Transfer Portal. Penn State hosted Aire for an official visit earlier in the month and was generally seen as the favorite to land Aire in the days since then.</p>



<p>As the Hurricanes made the Final Four this past season, Aire generally did not see the floor much, averaging just shy of three minutes per contest over the 14 games that Aire played in.</p>



<p>It remains to be seen where Aire will shake out in Penn State&#8217;s rotation at the forward and big man position as he joins a sizable room that includes Temple transfer forward Zach Hicks, Lafayette transfer forward Leo O&#8217;Boyle, North Carolina transfer forward Puff Johnson, Georgetown transfer center Qudus Wahab and returning forward Demetrius Lilley.</p>



<p>During the recruiting process Aire was rated as a three-star prospect from the District Heights area in Maryland.</p>



<p>&#8220;Has a top notch motor,&#8221; <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Favour-Aire-46097209/">247 Network recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer said in 2021.</a> &#8220;Runs the floor well and possesses a commitment to defend and rebound. Is a quick and strong two-foot leaper. Tracks down shot blocking opportunities. Will be able to effectively defend ball screen situations. Is a dangerous offensive rebounder. Not a ball handling threat nor a jump shooting threat at this point. Does have a reliable right hand jump hook. Primarily feeds off dump down passes for dunks and put back opportunities. Is a raw prospect all around but is developing on both sides of the basketball. Defensive is ahead of the offensive at this point.&#8221;</p>


Penn State Men’s Basketball: Nittany Lions Add Miami Center from Transfer Portal


<p>Former Penn State forward Seth Lundy picked up plenty of praise and more importantly may have helped his draft stock significantly during the NBA Draft Combine which concluded on Sunday, the final day of the multi-day event.</p>



<p>Over the course of two scrimmages Lundy managed to go 8-for-11 beyond the arc and continued to showcase his ability to catch, shoot and make difficult long-range shots. Overall Lundy would play 42 minutes during the scrimmages and would total 30 points in the effort.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Now Seth Lundy showing the range as he hops into the deep C&amp;S 3 <a href="https://t.co/zseQPkEyUq">pic.twitter.com/zseQPkEyUq</a></p>&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1658908386136662030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Lundy is still projected by most noteworthy analysts to go in the second round of the NBA Draft which is slated to take place June 22nd. Fellow teammate Jalen Pickett also had a solid outing at the NBA Draft Combine but did not turn heads quite the same way that Lundy did with his outside shooting, length and defensive acumen. All the same the duo are looking to make program history &#8211; Penn State has never had two players selected in the same NBA Draft.</p>



<p>NBADraft.net lists Lundy as the No. 37 overall pick while Pickett is slotted to go 13 spots later &#8211; both players in this case are projected to be drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Both Seth Lundy and Amari Bailey have stood out so far in the first scrimmage in the combine last week. Loved this possession from both of them <a href="https://t.co/Xndd1BW6Vf">pic.twitter.com/Xndd1BW6Vf</a></p>&mdash; Zach Milner (@ZachMilner13) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachMilner13/status/1660690105521283072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Penn State Men’s Basketball: Lundy Sees Stock Rise Following Draft Combine


<p><em>(Editor’s note: This is the first part of a two-part interview with new Penn State men’s basketball head coach Mike Rhoades).</em></p>



<p>UNIVERSITY PARK — When Penn State men’s basketball head coach Mike Rhoades speaks, you can hear the passion in his voice.</p>



<p>The Centre County Gazette spoke with the first-year coach recently about a myriad of topics. Rhoades talked about life at the new job, the transfer portal and NIL. He also talked about his willingness to help Penn State’s Coaches vs. Cancer chapter, which has raised more than $3.6 million since its founding in 1995.</p>



<p>Once he was settled into his new digs at the Bryce Jordan Center, Rhoades met with the directors from CVC to discuss his involvement with them.</p>



<p>Rhoades said he really liked what he heard about CVC. He especially liked that CVC has a unique agreement through the American Cancer Society wherein a significant portion of the funds raised locally are granted to the Bob Perks Cancer Fund for distribution to local families that need assistance during what can be a very financially challenging time.</p>



<p>“Just sitting down with everybody and talking about, I felt the passion that everyone has for it,” Rhoades said. “Like everybody, we’ve all been impacted by cancer in our lives, in our families’ lives and in our friends’ lives. It’s impacted all of us in some way.”</p>



<p>Rhoades said he told CVC organizers that he was “all in.”</p>



<p>“I was like, ‘I want to be a part of this. What can I do? How can I help? What do we need to do to keep impacting people and help?’ All of us are really excited to be a part of it,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>He will jump into the CVC waters with both feet as the 26th annual Coaches vs. Cancer Golf Tournament will be played at the Penn State Golf Courses on June 2.</p>



<p>Rhoades said he plans on attending the tournament, but will not be golfing.</p>



<p>“I don’t want to ruin the course with my golf swing,” Rhoades joked. “Seriously, this first year I want to make sure that I can meet everybody and spend time with everybody. I’m going to be there all day long … meeting people, shaking hands and trying to build some core relationships. I’ll let the golf up to everybody else.”</p>



<p>Rhoades will be formally introduced on June 1 as CVC hosts the Sponsors and Captain Reception at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.</p>



<p>“Our whole staff will be there at the reception. Same thing — meeting everybody and letting everyone know our appreciation. Definitely … we will be a part of everything,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>Because he knows friends and families who have been impacted by cancer, Rhoades said CVC is something he takes seriously.</p>



<p>“You never forget how it makes you feel. Not the people who have cancer or have had it. You remember how it made you feel and how it still makes you feel. That’s one side of it. The other side is that you always want to nurture and take care of people who get sick,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>Ultimately, though, he said it comes down to helping.</p>



<p>“What can we do to help people to get through it? To me, you put your coach hat on and say ‘what’s the whole process of this? How can we impact this process in different areas? We want to do things to help people who are in need or to help people who maybe can’t help themselves at that point,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>Rhoades knows that for someone who is diagnosed with cancer, it is truly a journey.</p>



<p>“What’s the journey? How can we help people on this journey? That’s probably the best way to put it. If it’s getting our players to go down to Hershey and visit kids at the hospital, we will do that. Maybe we can make them feel better,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>The coach said he takes cancer personally. One of his friends and colleagues, VCU’s Alex Peavey, has been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer.</p>



<p>“He’s on year six. It’s unbelievable. I’ve been through this process with him and his family. There are so many different turns, ups and downs of this journey. How can we help everyone on this journey? I take that a little personal,” Rhoades said.</p>



<p>If you haven’t registered for the golf tournament, there is still time. Visit cvcpennstate.org to register a team.</p>



<p>“When they told me about Coaches vs. Cancer, I told them I’m all in. Let’s take it to a whole new level. Let’s move this thing forward even more,” Rhoades said. “Let’s see what we can do.”</p>


New Penn State Hoops Coach Mike Rhoades Says He’s ‘All In’ with CVC


<p>Former Penn State men&#8217;s basketball stars Jalen Pickett and Seth Lundy both showcased their skills during the opening scrimmages at the ongoing NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. The Draft Combine runs from May 15-21 and features 79 of the top NBA prospects ahead of the NBA Draft on June 22.</p>



<p>Lundy was his usual self from range posting 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc while dishing out four assists and grabbing a single rebound. Lundy played just over 19 minutes in the rotation-heavy scrimmage. Projected as a potential second round daft choice with his size, length and ability to make threes while also defending. Lundy measured on the scales at 6-foot-4 even with a wingspan of 6-10.25 and weighted in at 214 pounds. Only two players at the combine standing 6-foot-4 or shorter had a longer wingspan than Lundy.</p>



<p>For his part Pickett put his back-to-basket skills on display with an eight point, three rebound, six assist and 0 turnover effort in 19 minutes of action on 3-for-5 shooting. Pickett, an 2023 All-American, is also projected as a potential second round draft choice but his size and lack of top end speed has &#8211; in some circles &#8211; made Pickett a less obvious option for today&#8217;s NBA. Pickett&#8217;s efficiency, passing and effective scoring will likely win the day if a team opts to choose him.</p>



<p>Drafted or not both Pickett and Lundy should find themselves with at least a post-draft opportunity with an NBA franchise in some capacity. If both players were selected it would mark the first time in program history that multiple Penn State players would hear their name called in the same draft. Tony Carr was the last Penn State player selected, going in the second round of the 2018 Draft to the New Orleans Pelicans. Former Nittany Lion, Lamar Stevens is the only active NBA player to have called State College home. Stevens is a key rotational piece with the Cleveland Cavaliers.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jalen Pickett’s “booty ball” is alive and well. Nice looking contested fadeaway jumper <a href="https://t.co/smuRIlA41L">pic.twitter.com/smuRIlA41L</a></p>&mdash; Seth Engle (@bigsengtweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/bigsengtweets/status/1658961606401830913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Penn State Men’s Basketball: Seth Lundy, Jalen Pickett Solid in First NBA Combine Scrimmage

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