Penn State Basketball Adds 7th Player From Transfer Portal
Penn State landed a "battle-tested competitor" and "high-level shooter" from the NCAA Transfer Portal, as RayQuawndis Mitchell committed to the Lions. Mitchell is the seventh player coach Mike Rhoades has recruited from the transfer portal for his 2023-24 Nittany Lions team.
Mitchell joins Penn State from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he played one season. Mitchell also has played at the University of Illinois-Chicago, Otero Junior College and Idaho. Penn State will be his fifth school. Mitchell declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft in March while retaining his college eligibility. He entered the transfer portal in early May and has one season of eligibility remaining.
A 6-5 guard, Mitchell was named second-team All-Summit League last season as well as to the all-newcomer team. Mitchell averaged 17.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for Kansas City, ranking fifth in the Summit League in scoring. Mitchell was the only player to start all 32 games for the Roos, averaging 35.5 minutes per game. He also ranked among the Summit League's top 10 in 3-pointers per game (fourth), minutes (fifth) and shooting percentage (eighth).
"We are really excited to have RayQ in our family here at Penn State," Rhoades said in a statement announcing Mitchell's signing. "He brings us experience and ability that is needed on the perimeter. RayQ fits our style of play and our approach."
Mitchell brings an offensive approach to Penn State. He averaged 14.6 shots per game in Kansas City's offense and topped 20 points nine times. He scored a season-high 35 points against Toledo in November and scored at least 10 points in every league game.
According to Kansas City coach Marvin Menzies, Mitchell brought "a wealth of experience and leadership" to Kansas City. "He is a battle-tested competitor and a high-level shooter," Menzies added, according to Mitchell's Kansas City bio.
Mitchell played one season each at UIC, Otero Junior College and Idaho before transferring to Kansas City. He is not listed as having played during the 2021-22 season. He chose Penn State from a final list of schools that included Arkansas, Oklahoma State and BYU.
Mitchell is the seventh player to transfer to Penn State under first-year coach Mike Rhoades, who is transforming the roster through the portal. The Lions have added seven transfer players so far and return three scholarship players from last year's NCAA Tournament team.
