Penn State men’s basketball endured a tumultuous start to the year, yet its alums, who’ve moved on to bigger things, created a new narrative for the program.
Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, center, Los Angeles Clippers
The rookie year for former Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser has gone about as expected in the NBA, as he’s excelled but only in limited minutes.
On Jan. 14, the Fraschels, Switzerland, native tied his career high, matching his 16 point game logged at the end of 2025. Yet in his recent outing against the Washington Wizards, didn’t miss a shot as he outplayed former 2024 No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr in the process.
The rookie played the next game against the Raptors, and scored five points, all from the charity stripe, but as starting big man Ivica Zubać returned to action after injury, Niderhäuser saw his minutes decrease.
Los Angeles Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (14) dunks against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of a NBA basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025 in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Wally Skalij | AP Photo
In the Clippers’ recent game, where they again faced the Wizards, Niederhäuser didn’t appear, as Los Angeles returned to full strength. Brook Lopez bumped him in the rotation, as the veteran shoots the lowest field goal percentage of his career.
With Lopez’s scoring struggles, he and Zubać are also two of the least efficient pick-and-roll big men, and as the former Nittany Lion begins to blossom, it isn’t far-fetched to envision a larger role.
Jalen Pickett, guard, Denver Nuggets
Since Jalen Pickett earned his first start of the season, he’s posted solid outings for the Denver Nuggets and emerged as a solid piece. The Rochester, New York, native started in the last five outings for the Nuggets, and they’ve won four of those contests.
In three of those games, Pickett notched double-digit scoring, and in the only loss over that stretch, he potentially put up his best game since his 29-point outing on Jan 5.
In the latest game on Jan. 18 against the Chicago Bulls, the Nuggets lost 110-87, yet Pickett had the best plus-minus rating of any Denver starter, behind his 12 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds.
After Pickett’s stretch of receiving more playing time, his averages increased to 6.2 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game, 2.6 assists per game and 46.2% from the field, and he hasn’t missed a free throw all year.
Denver Nuggets’ Jalen Pickett (24) tries to get a shot past Philadelphia 76ers’ Vj Edgecombe during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Matt Rourke | AP Photo
Andrew Jones, coach, Toronto 905
The lone member of the list not in the NBA or a player, Andrew Jones III, posted the most impressive year of any Penn State alum.
The former Nittany Lions forward played in Happy Valley from 2007 to 2011, making 134 appearances during that tenure, though Jones later pivoted to a coaching role.
The Philadelphia native had stints as a staff member with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his hometown 76ers, the Detroit Pistons and the Toronto Raptors. In June 2024, he earned his first head coaching gig with Toronto’s G League affiliate, the 905 Raptors.
This season, Jones’ squad emerged as a buzzsaw in the G League, posting the best record at 10-2. His squad holds a 14.4-point differential at the start of the year; the next-highest team in the league posts only a 7.9 differential.
In the month of December, Jones earned honors as the top G-League Coach of the Month.
Jones created a solid squad performance, with many contributors, but his gem has been the development of rookie Chucky Hepburn, the 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Hepburn posts top-five per-game figures in assists and steals, as under Jones’ tutelage, he’s seen a breakout.
As a squad, the Raptors shoot the best field goal percentage in the G-League and rank in the top three in steals and three-point percentage, emerging as a real contender to win the championship.
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