A player from a Big Ten school who just entered the transfer portal is visiting Penn State.
Per Dushawn London of 247Sports, Braden Pierce, a 7-footer who was with Maryland during its Sweet 16 run this past season, is visiting Penn State this weekend after Villanova.
He’s also “in the process of setting a visit to DePaul.”
The connection to Villanova is obvious. Pierce’s coach at Maryland, Kevin Willard, recently left for Villanova, so it would be logical for Pierce to want to join his old coach.
But it would make sense for Penn State, too.
After all, the program’s 7-foot center from last season, Yanic Konan-Niederhauser, recently declared for the NBA Draft, although he did say he’d stay at Penn State if he changes his mind.
Penn State Basketball: Yanic Konan Niederhauser Declares for Draft, Keeps Eligibility
MORE ABOUT PIERCE
Here’s some more information on Braden Pierce.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.This is his first time entering the transfer portal— which is, for better or worse, an important distinction these days. His true freshman season of 2023-24 was one in which he redshirted.
This past season was supposed to be Pierce’s chance to show what he could do at the college level.
Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending injury the week of Thanksgiving, so his year only amounted to five games.
Coming out of Florida’s famous IMG Academy, Pierce was a three-star recruit who also received interest from schools such as Missouri, Vanderbilt, Pitt, NC State and Rutgers.
PENN STATE MIGHT NEED HIM
As referenced earlier, Penn State might be in need of a starting center in the transfer portal.
If Niederhauser has indeed played his last college game, PSU will have to replace size (7-feet, 250 pounds) and production (12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds).
Pierce hasn’t had a chance to prove much at the college level but his presence wouldn’t hurt.
