Mike Rhoades Wants Penn State to Keep 'Pushing the Envelope' in Recruiting

Kayden Mingo was the highest-ranked recruit in Penn State basketball history when he committed to the program last year. But his younger brother Dylan, who is rated even higher, picked North Carolina instead. The 5-star guard from Long Island (N.Y.) Lutheran announced his decision Tuesday, committing to the Tar Heels over Penn State, Baylor and Washington.

"I chose UNC because it felt like a family environment, from the players, fans, to the coaches," Dylan Mingo told Stephen A. Smith on ESPN First Take. “I felt like the UNC history and everyone who played there is huge. Knowing their will to win is always at the highest level. I would love to be a part of that."

Mingo said Penn State was second on his list, as the Nittany Lions put together a year-long recruiting pitch, hoping that playing with his brother would be a contributing factor in Dylan Mingo's decision. Kayden Mingo is among the top freshmen in the Big Ten and was voted a Penn State team captain as a freshman.

“It’s super hard to not play with your brother, to decline that option, but I just felt like North Carolina was what was best for me right now,” Dylan Mingo said on First Take.

Breaking: Dylan Mingo, the No. 9 ranked player in the SC Next 100 for the Class of 2026, has committed to North Carolina, he told Stephen A. Smith on @FirstTake. pic.twitter.com/UyUyVFJZaN
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) February 17, 2026

Dylan Mingo would have been a game-changing recruit for Penn State. He is ESPN’s ninth-ranked player in the nation and a consensus 5-star prospect. Dylan Mingo was the MVP of last summer’s NBA Top 100 Camp, where he averaged 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists.

Earlier this week, before Dylan Mingo announced his decision, Penn State coach Mike Rhoades discussed recruiting and how his team aims to attract top-ranked talent.

“The one thing about us here at Penn State in the basketball program that we have to continue to work on is building our program in so many different ways to continue to attract those guys, those types of players like Kayden Mingo and Ivan [Juric] who could take your program to another level,” Rhoades said.

Penn State hasn’t been a competitive contender in the Big Ten and doesn’t have a true rival on the court, whereas North Carolina and Duke have one of the most heated rivalries in college basketball. Dylan Mingo said that UNC’s win over Duke a few weeks ago had a “huge impact on his decision.”

Meanwhile, Penn State is tied with Northwestern for last in the Big Ten at 2-13. The Nittany Lions (11-15 overall) did not win a game in January and did not beat a Power 4 opponent until its 77-75 win over Minnesota on Feb. 1.

Six Big Ten teams are ranked in the AP Top 25, which complicates recruiting for programs like Penn State. Should the Nittany add high school talent or prioritize older players from the transfer portal?

“Recruiting has changed and it’s changing as we’re speaking right now because you always want to get high school talent, without a doubt," Rhoades said. "But you also make sure like in the Big Ten, you have to be completely open to getting older all the time because that’s what our league is doing. And that’s what Power 4 teams are doing.”

Penn State explored other avenues of recruiting by targeting international players. Rhoades brought in Ivan Juric from Croatia, Melih Tunca from Turkey and Tibor Mirtic and Sasa Ciani from Slovenia.

“I think we have to continue to just keep pushing the envelope forward of men’s basketball here and everything we do, and that’s the key of it,” Rhoades said. “When you bring recruits on campus, and they see this, how awesome it is here, how much fun our student-athletes and our students are having here, the people you could be around and you get a chance to play in the Big Ten, that’s a feeling. We have to continue to do our part, too.”

Rhoades has pushed heavily for more student and fan engagement at Penn State games to bolster the environment. His “Sweat with Us” mantra last season resonated well when the Nittany Lions upset some ranked opponents. But it’s hard to guarantee a strong environment when the team isn’t winning.

Penn State’s average attendance at the Bryce Jordan Center is 5,699 per game, which ranks 82nd nationally. Comparatively, North Carolina ranks second nationally at 19,194 per game.

Up next

After a week-long road trip to the Pacific Northwest, where Penn State split games with Washington and Oregon, the Nittany Lions return to the Bryce Jordan Center to face Rutgers on Wednesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.

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