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By Neil Rudel
nrudel@altoonamirror.com
Catching up with Penn State related news:
Penn State's NBA profile was raised considerably Thursday night.
For the first time in program history, two Nittany Lions were drafted as Jalen Pickett went to newly-crowned NBA champion Denver with the 32nd pick and Seth Lundy followed, going to Atlanta at No. 46.
After transferring from Siena, Pickett carried the Lions to this past NCAA Tournament while Lundy spent his entire career in Happy Valley.
Pickett showed versatility both in facing the basket and with his back to it while Lundy did all the dirty work and made his share of clutch shots.
Pickett was recruited by Micah Shrewsberry while Lundy was a holdover from the Pat Chambers regime.
Mike Rhoades will be the Lions fourth coach in five years, counting interim choice Jim Ferry, who stepped in after Chambers resigned a few minutes before the 2020 season started.
Being able to recruit with a rising profile should only help Rhoades' rebuilding efforts.
Pickett is the Nits' highest draft pick since Jesse Arnelle went 13th in 1955. Ironically, another former Lion draftee, Calvin Booth, is the general manager of Pickett's landing spot in Denver.
Lundy is the second Penn State player coached by Chambers to be drafted, joining Tony Carr (51st) in 2018.
Lamar Stevens was not drafted in the COVID-ruined year of 2020, but he has averaged an admirable 5.3 points through three seasons and 165 games with Cleveland.
Crispin sighting
Former Nittany Lion Joe Crispin, who played 21 NBA games with Phoenix and the Lakers in 2001-02, has made an appearance in the Lakemont Park Summer Basketball League with the Hoopsfest team (Division I)
Crispin is currently an assistant coach under Rhoades.
'Too' unrivaled
Penn State has labeled itself "unrivaled," and the Big Ten's recently-announced football schedule for 2024 and 2025 underscores that.
The Lions were the only team without a protected rival.
That means what has been the most anticipated opponent on the Nittany Lions' schedule, Ohio State, will no longer be an annual matchup.
And that's a negative -- especially when looking at a 2025 home schedule that reads: Nevada, Villanova, Illinois, Rutgers, Minnesota and UCLA.
The only way that can be swallowed is if the Lions are coming off the 2024 national championship. How they play this year will be a precursor to that possibility.
At the same time, the 2025 road schedule is rugged -- at Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Maryland and USC. Ditto the 2024 home schedule -- Northwestern, Michigan State, Nebraska, USC and Ohio State.
I'd suggest reworking 2025 and offering Nevada or Villanova a future date and plug in Pitt, but that's the last thing James Franklin would do.
Flash at Nits
Saint Francis' men's basketball team has not played the Nittany Lions since 2012 -- Rob Krimmel's first game at the helm of the Red Flash.
That will change this year as SFU visits the Jordan Center on Nov. 14. The Flash opener will actually be against UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 6.
Rudel can be reached at 814-946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com.