BREAKING: Penn State basketball lands highest-ranked recruit in program history

This weekend is supposed to be a pivotal stretch for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions football program on the recruiting trail, but it’s Mike Rhoades and Penn State basketball that kicked things off with a historic commitment. On Friday morning, the Nittany Lions landed 2025 four-star combo guard Kayden Mingo, now the highest-rated prospect in the program’s history.

The Long Island Lutheran (New York) guard announced his decision live on the famous New York morning show, The Breakfast Club. Mingo chose Penn State basketball over Wake Forest, but also had Georgia and Virginia Tech in his final four schools list.

NEWS: Top-50 recruit Kayden Mingo tells @On3Recruits he’s committed to Penn State, becoming the program’s highest ranked recruit in the modern recruiting era.

The 6-1 four-star combo guard chose the Nittany Lions over Wake Forest, but also considered Georgia and Virginia Tech.… pic.twitter.com/ejdiYXB02M

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) November 1, 2024

“The energy at Penn State is second to none,” Mingo told On3 of his September 7 visit to Happy Valley. “The program is great; I really enjoyed watching their practice. The facilities were beautiful, and they really impressed me, also. The coaches told me they plan on me coming in, and they want me to be their point guard and run the show.”

Want to stay informed on all the latest news in Penn State athletics? Subscribe to the free Basic Blues Nation newsletter for breaking news, videos, and editorials sent right to your inbox! 

The second-best prospect coming out of New York, Kayden Mingo is the No. 5 combo guard and the No. 42 player overall in the 247Sports Composite rankings for the 2025 recruiting cycle.

With a composite rating of 0.9818, Mingo surpasses Tony Carr as the highest-rated recruit in Penn State basketball history. Carr was ranked as the No. 51 recruit overall with a 0.9746 rating in the 247Sports Composite in the 2016 cycle.

The third commitment for Mike Rhoades in the cycle, Mingo will undoubtedly help bolster the Nittany Lions 2025 recruiting class. Before the pledge, Penn State basketball had the No. 44 overall class nationally in the cycle.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, one of the fastest-growing outlets covering Penn State athletics. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned, community-operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on social media.