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

With tip-off of the 2023-24 season mere hours away, Penn State basketball just earned a major win for next year’s roster. The Nittany Lions landed a commitment from Miles Goodman, a top 110 prospect in the class of 2024. The 2024 big man is by far the most significant commitment of the Mike Rhoades era in Happy Valley.

Penn State basketball lands commitment from top 110 prospect in 2024 cycle

On Monday evening, four-star big man Miles Goodman pledged his commitment to Penn State basketball. Originally from Washington, Goodman chose the Nittany Lions over the Washington Huskies but had offers from TCU, Georgetown, and others. He becomes the third member of the class for Penn State, joining Tennessee guard Jahvin Carter and his current high school teammate at Southern California Academy, Dominick Stewart. 

At 6’10 and 220 pounds, Goodman is a huge get for the program, literally and figuratively. With a 247Sports Composite rating of .9449, he becomes the second-highest rated recruit in the program’s history, just behind Penn State basketball legend Tony Carr. Goodman is ranked No. 109 overall and is the No. 20 center in the 2024 cycle.

How will Miles Goodman fit into the Mike Rhoades system?

Goodman seems like a perfect fit for a Mike Rhoades team at the next level. He is a long, rangy athlete who loves to play above the rim on both sides of the ball, whether that’s denying shots at the basket or soaring for a big lob dunk. He is not your typical slow, flat-footed lob threat, however. Goodman is a twitchy athlete and is light on his feet which allows him to guard in the post or out on the perimeter.

On offense, most of his game revolves around the rim. Goodman excels as the roll man and has a great nose for offensive putbacks. The jumper is a work in progress, but he has made strides there. Mechanically his form is good, and when Goodman takes a shot from outside, he does it with confidence. The jumper will certainly be something he and the Penn State coaching staff look to continue to develop at the next level. 

Goodman likely ties together what appears to be a very impressive opening recruiting class for coach Rhoades at Penn State. The top 110 prospect will be the headliner of the class, for good reason. But this is a talented three-man group that Rhoades has assembled before even coaching his first game in Happy Valley.

Jahvin Carter is a bit of a more unknown prospect, but he has the offensive arsenal to develop into a strong guard. Dominick Stewart is coming off a very impressive summer where he showed a lot of programs his potential as a connective piece on the wing. He also no doubt helped to influence Goodman’s decision to join him in Happy Valley. The chemistry those two bring into the program will aid them both in establishing their roles and play styles from the minute they step foot on campus.

Legacy defining commitment?

Ultimately, this is one of the most impressive recruitments we have seen from the Penn State basketball program. Obviously, pulling a player rated as the second-best in program history is impressive, but Goodman’s commitment goes beyond that. To be able to pull a borderline top-100 player from the other side of the country before even coaching a game at Penn State is an incredible feat for Mike Rhoades. 

Miles Goodman is the type of instant-impact player who should be able to earn minutes from day one while continuing to develop into a potential star. Be on the lookout for Goodman to possibly be a legacy-defining prospect for the Rhoades era at Penn State.

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