Update: 3:25 p.m.
There has now been a sixth player to enter the transfer portal. The latest is Seth Lundy, according to this report:
Penn State forward Seth Lundy is in the portal. He's the sixth Nittany Lions player to enter today.
Lundy averaged 10.1 ppg this season. https://t.co/Uu9zwhsJuG
— 247Sports Transfer Portal (@247SportsPortal) March 16, 2021
We will have more on this and all of the day’s events coming up throughout the night.
Well, this didn’t take long at all. News is flying out fast and furious today about Penn State basketball players entering the transfer portal. It comes less than a day after new coach Micah Shrewsberry was hired to replace interim coach Jim Ferry.
This was to be expected, as we’ve written about numerous times in recent weeks. The feeling all along was that, once the season ended, several key members of the program would be transferring.
We just didn’t know how many.
But the picture is getting clearer today, and it’s a very bleak one.
RELATED: Check the stats to see what PSU is losing with transfers
Here’s what is being reported so far about who is entering the transfer portal:
** Leading scorer Myreon Jones
Have learned that Penn State basketball’s leading scorer Myreon Jones, a Birmingham native, has entered the transfer portal. Averaged 15.3 points per game this season.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) March 16, 2021
** Second-leading scorer Izaiah Brockington
** Leading rebounder and fourth-leading scorer John Harrar
** Key reserve Trent Buttrick
Three Penn State basketball players — Izaiah Brockington, John Harrar and Trent Buttrick — have all entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.https://t.co/chXwn6Kx88 pic.twitter.com/6gYCIJ16Wd
— 247Sports (@247Sports) March 16, 2021
** Point guard and defensive leader Jamari Wheeler
SOURCE: Penn State guard Jamari Wheeler plans to enter the transfer portal.
One of the best defenders in the country & shot 38% from deep. Fifth year senior.
— Sean Paul (@Sean02MTM) March 16, 2021
Yes, wow is right.
As of now, there has been no indication from any outlets that Seth Lundy, Myles Dread or Sam Sessoms have entered the portal. They are the other main pieces of the team from this season, along with the five mentioned above.
Why are so many players transferring?
A lot of them were upset at how the PSU administration handled the Patrick Chambers resignation in October — not providing many answers — and not keeping Ferry likely is playing a role, as well.
And with so many reportedly set to leave, that alone could lead to more departures, from players who may want to stay but don’t want to be left as the last ones aboard what they could consider to be a sinking ship.
We will keep a close eye on all this news throughout the day, as there could be confirmations of more players transferring, or perhaps some news from any of these players refuting the transfer reports.
But as of now, it appears that the bulk of this year’s Penn State team will indeed be departing.
Giger’s take
I will have a lot more to say about all of this in the coming days and weeks. But the one thing I will say for now is that I had believed maybe some of these players would give Shrewsberry a chance and maybe stick around for at least a short while to see what he is all about.
The fact that so many players are leaving so quickly tells us that all of this must have pre-planned, and that these guys were going to depart no matter which coach was hired. Sure, that could have been surmised in recent weeks, but again, I was being overly optimistic with the time frame, thinking some of these players would at least see how things play out with Shrewsberry after they could meet with him and get to know him a little.
Now, that could still happen, to a degree. Just because these players are entering the transfer portal doesn’t necessarily mean they all will leave. Some could have a change of heart once they see what the market is like and talk more with Shrewsberry.
OK, OK, honestly, I don’t have much expectation that will happen. I’m just throwing it out there as something to keep in mind.
The bottom line is, we knew all along that a lot of players would be transferring, and it appears it very well could be the worst-case scenario coming true.
Predicting the future: Listen to the podcast below (11:00 mark) as Nate Bauer from BlueWhite Illustrated predicted weeks ago what could happen
"Penn State is going to have a disaster on its hands if it doesn't retain Jim Ferry."
"Let's cut through the BS. No one was happy before the start of the season at what happened to Pat Chambers."@NateBauerBWI predicted what's happening to PSU (11:00 mark)https://t.co/dbzklvdRiW— Cory Giger (@CoryGiger) March 16, 2021
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