Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser, a dominant 7-foot force who broke out for the Nittany Lions this past season, will test the professional waters this spring. Niederhauser has declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his one remaining year of collegiate eligibility, he announced on Instagram on Wednesday.
“After careful consideration, I’ve decided to declare for the 2025 NBA Draft,” Niederhauser wrote. “In the meantime, I will maintain my college eligibility. In case I decide to withdraw from the draft I will return to Penn State for my senior year. I’m excited to see what the future holds!”
Niederhauser, who led the Big Ten with 2.3 blocks per game after transferring from Northern Illinois last offseason, averaged 12.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game across the 2024-25 season. His potential departure could leave Mike Rhoades scrambling for a veteran centerpiece to build around.
If Niederhauser ultimately sticks with the NBA Draft route, he would become the ninth player to depart the Nittany Lions this offseason. Ace Baldwin Jr., D’Marco Dunn, Nick Kern Jr., Puff Johnson and Zach Hicks are all out of eligibility. Jahvin Carter, Miles Goodman and Hudson Ward, three rising sophomores, have all entered the transfer portal.
Niederhauser would leave just four scholarship players from last year’s team on roster: Freddie Dilione V, Eli Rice, Kachi Nzeh and Dominick Stewart. However, Penn State is set to welcome three freshmen — Kayden Mingo, Mason Blackwood and Justin Houser — this summer.
What should be promising for Rhoades is that Niederhauser has stated his intent to return to the Nittany Lions, instead of opting for the transfer portal, if he doesn’t find a fit in this year’s draft. This was a topic of concern surrounding Niederhauser, who was a revelation in an otherwise disappointing season for Penn State, which finished the year with a 16-15 record.
“At this time of the year, it’s just not recruiting guys that are out there, high school kids and kids in the portal. It’s having great conversations with your players on making sure, as you move forward, everybody’s on the same page, without a doubt,” Rhoades said in March. “When you have good players, it’s a free-for-all. That’s just how it is. But you gotta control what you can control.”
Whether Niederhauser follows through with his draft plans or not, with eight or nine players out of the picture, the Nittany Lions are in dire need of transfers and international free agents. The college basketball transfer portal, which opened for business on March 24, will close on April 22. Penn State has not yet made any additions.
