Mike Rhoades has put the work in on his first full cycle of recruiting at Penn State.
The Nittany Lions men’s basketball team officially announced its 2025 signing class Sunday, a group that ranked No. 20 in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite. That marked the highest-rated signing class in program history.
Rhoades and his staff welcomed three players in this class: four-star guard Kayden Mingo, three-star forward Mason Blackwood and three-star big man Justin Houser.
Mingo buoyed the class’ ranking, becoming the highest-rated prospect to commit to the Nittany Lions in program history. Hailing from Long Island Lutheran in New York, he was rated as the No. 2 player in the state and the No. 42 player in the country.
The 6-3, 178-pound guard’s recruitment was a long one, with an official commitment to the Nittany Lions coming on Nov. 1. Penn State battled schools like Xavier, Virginia Tech, Georgia, Wake Forest and Notre Dame — to all of which Mingo took official visits. Wake Forest and Penn State were his final two schools when he made the final decision.
In his junior campaign last year, Mingo averaged 15.1 points per game, 4.7 rebounds and four assists.
“I loved the time I spent at Penn State on my visit,” Mingo said in a statement. “It felt like home and like a place I can grow at in different ways.”
“Kayden will bring an elite level of talent and competitiveness to the floor, but he is equally as impressive as a young man and student off the floor,” Rhoades added. “Kayden can defend, score, facilitate, and attack to both create for himself and others at an impressive level. Kayden possesses our type of work ethic and competitive drive, and we can’t wait to get to work with him and welcome him into our Penn State family.”
Houser was the first member of Penn State’s 2025 class, committing all the way back on June 26. He’s listed on Penn State’s release as a 7-footer while averaging 13 points and nine rebounds a night as a junior. Houser is from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, and plays at the Phelps School, where the Lions were state runners-up a year ago.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Houser was the No. 8 player in Pennsylvania and the No. 244 prospect in the country.
“I chose Penn State because it was a perfect fit for me both academically and athletically. It was really important for me to choose a school and a basketball program with a family environment and the culture that’s been created at Penn State is exactly what I was looking for,” Houser said. “With me being a Pennsylvania native, it’s been a lifelong dream of mine to play basketball at PSU and the opportunity to continue my education and basketball career there was something that I could not pass up.”
“Justin grew up dreaming of coming to Penn State and we’re thrilled to keep him home in PA. He is a seven-foot, left-handed Pennsylvania native who can score in the paint with his touch around the basket and also stretch the floor with his perimeter shooting ability,” Rhoades said. “His length and athleticism allow him to block and alter shots at an elite level. His skill set, length, size and athleticism make him a great fit for our style of play.”
From Rochester, New York, Blackwood played in New Hampton, New Hampshire, at New Hampton Prep School. He was New Hampshire’s No. 4 prospect and No. 145 nationally as a 6-7, 210-pound small forward. Penn State won Blackwood’s services over Big Ten rival Rutgers, with the forward committing on Sept. 18.
Blackwood averaged 14.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game last season. A stat that surely caught Rhoades’ defensive-minded eye, though, was his 1.6 steals per game.
“I chose Penn State because of the coaching staff and how they have been consistently recruiting me as well as talking to my family and treating them with respect and consideration,” Blackwood said. “The basketball program is great, and it’s close to home so my family can come out to games. The community involvement along with the environment was also important to me. I felt as if I could call this place home!”
“Mason is a skilled and versatile wing who will do whatever it takes for his team to win. He thrives playing downhill, is an elite defender and is a strong rebounder from the wing position,” Rhoades said. “He will fit seamlessly into our style of play and will excel just as much off the court in the classroom and community. We’re thrilled to welcome Mason into our Penn State family.”
There’s some serious momentum for Penn State men’s basketball under Rhoades for the first time since former coach Micah Shrewsberry left for Notre Dame. The Nittany Lions are 4-0 on the young 2024-25 season, earning a vote in the latest AP Poll. They return to the Bryce Jordan Center on Wednesday to face Purdue Fort Wayne.
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