ICYMI: Mike Rhoades Signs First Signing Class For Penn State Basketball
The first full recruiting cycle for Penn State basketball under Mike Rhoades is now complete. Let’s meet the newest Nittany Lions.
This 2024 cycle is a 3 man class for Penn State basketball, featuring guard Jahvin Carter, guard/forward Dominick Stewart, and big Miles Goodman. The three man class fits well together and looks like a promising starting point for Rhoades in Happy Valley. Let’s take a look at the newest editions to the Penn State basketball program.
BREAKDOWN: Mike Rhoades first recruiting class as Penn State basketball coach
With signing day earlier this week, Penn State basketball finished with the No. 38 overall class in the nation, according to 247Sports. Let’s take a look at the newest Nittany Lions. Please note that all rankings are from the 247Sports Composite.
Jahvin Carter
Position: PG/SG
Measurements: 6’2 175 lbs
High school: Alcoa (TN)
247Sports Composite ranking: 246th nationally, 2nd in Tennessee
247Sports Composite rating: 3 star, 0.8720
Background:
Jahvin Carter was the first player in the class, committing to the Nittany Lions on June 26. This recruitment moved extremely fast, with Jahvin committing just 10 days after he officially received an offer from Penn State basketball. He is more of an under the radar pickup, with only 3 offers from Penn State, Georgia Tech, and Middle Tennessee State.
Carter had a stellar junior season at Alcoa, averaging 27 points and 5 assists a game. He led his school to the state title game, where he hit a game winning layup with 2 seconds left to give the school its first state title since 1967. His season earned him the title of Mr. Basketball in Tennessee for the 2A class.
Evaluation:
A kid from Tennessee without a ton of offers usually is not the profile of player Penn State basketball usually goes after, but Rhoades made him a priority target. After watching some of the film, it’s easy to see why. The scoring skills immediately jump off the page. He is able to create open looks for himself using his handle and speed.
Carter also has good touch which helps him score at all 3 levels. He has good shooting potential from deep. A consistent, compact, and fast jumper allows Carter to get a shot off even against coverage. He is comfortable shooting off the dribble and from deep behind the line. Most of his three point shots came off the dribble and were usually at least partially contested, which means the jump shot could look even better with more open catch-and-shoot opportunities that he will likely see at the next level when he’s not the focal point of the offense.
The midrange is probably Carter’s weakest area, but he is far from bad. Carter has great touch in that range which allows him to continue the scoring, but the shot diet here is not great. He tends to settle for off balance runners and pull ups that make things hard on himself. He seems to rush a little too much in this area, and isn’t as comfortable as he is from the outside or at the rim.
Carter relies on his finesse and speed to get downhill, and he has a soft touch around the rim when he gets there. His great balance when driving which allows him to absorb contact and finish through it, which resulted in a lot of and-1s. Carter also has good body control which allows him to contort mid-air to evade the defense.
As a playmaker, Carter makes good live dribble reads. He is able to read the defense and understand assignments to locate the open man before he might even see him. His vision is solid and he has decent interior passing in the pick-and-roll. However, he is a score-first guard. While his passing is not bad, he does tend to miss some reads in favor of calling his own number.
On defense there is a lot of room to grow. Carter is a decent disruptor, creating a lot of turnovers, but he’s a gambler. This leads him to miss some assignments and give up some easy buckets. He will need to add some strength to unlock some of his potential on that end.
The final word
Overall, Jahvin Carter is a skilled 3 level scorer with good vision. He will need to add some strength and change his shot diet at the next level, but he has the potential to be a nice combo guard in his Penn State basketball career.
Dominick Stewart:
Position: SG/SF
Measurements: 6’5 180 lbs
High school: Southern California Academy (CA)
247Sports Composite ranking: 256th nationally, 25th in California
247Sports Composite rating: 3 star, 0.8650
Background:
Dominick Stewart became the second member of the class when he committed to join Penn State basketball on September 22. The commitment came off a recent visit he took to Happy Valley earlier in the month. Stewart carries an impressive offer list that includes Butler, Creighton, Mississippi State, and Cal.
Mike Rhoades offered back in July after Stewart’s very strong showing on the AAU circuit, which included All-Breakout team selections at Peach Jam in the Nike EYBL session No. 3. Stewart averaged about 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.5 steals a game during the circuit. He was able to turn many heads during the summer, with most of the programs listed above offering him after these impressive runs.
Evaluation:
Stewart looks like a good get, especially after that impressive AAU run that got many schools noticing him. His basketball IQ is the first thing you notice when you watch the film. Stewart continually makes the right decisions on the court and plays a very team oriented style of basketball. Whether swinging the ball to the open man or relocating to get an open shot, Stewart reads the game at a high level and really understands how to play.
Now being smart is great, but Stewart backs it up with the skill. It starts with the jump shot. Stewart is a skilled shooter with a good jumper. It is consistent and smooth, with a high and quick release point. He has good size for a guard, and he uses that to get shots off over contests and finish strong in the lane. Stewart’s touch around the basket is not great and he does not have much of an in between game, but his off ball movement helps to hide some of these flaws.
Stewart is a good playmaker, but not in the same way Jahvin Carter is. He doesn’t run a ton of pick and roll and he isn’t a super skilled live dribble playmaker. However, Stewart uses that basketball IQ to indentify the right pass and get the ball there quick.
Those smarts apply to the other side of the ball too. Stewart uses his good size at guard effectively to guard up and down the lineup. He is a good and willing team defender, which fits the style of basketball Mike Rhoades wants to play. Stewart is also a disruptor like Carter, creating a lot of turnovers, but he isn’t as much of a gambler.
The final word:
Dominick Stewart is an intriguing connective piece that has good positional versatility, thanks to his good basketball IQ, size, and offensive skill set. He is not perfect, but he has the profile of the type of recruit that can come in and contribute early in his career.
Miles Goodman
Position: C
Measurements: 6’10 220 lbs
High school: Southern California Academy (CA)
247Sports Composite ranking: 110th nationally, 14th in California
247Sports Composite rating: 4 star, 0.9460
Background:
Dominick Stewarts’s teammate Miles Goodman joined as the third and final member of the Penn State basketball 2024 class with his commitment on November 6. He visited Happy Valley on September 22, and decided from a top 2 of Penn State and Washington.
At 6’10 and 220 pounds, Goodman is a huge get for the program literally and figuratively. With his 247Sports Composite rating of 0.9460, Goodman becomes the second-highest rated recruit in Penn State basketball history, just behind Nittany Lion legend Tony Carr. He had many impressive offers across the country including TCU, Texas Tech, California, and Georgetown.
Evaluation:
Goodman seems like a perfect fit for the Mike Rhoades system 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 rim or soaring for a big lob dunk. Goodman is an above the rim athlete that can make plays all over the court.
On offense, Good really excels in the pick-and-roll, crashing to the rim for the lob or the interior pass. He has a decent face up game in the post, able to get to his jumper over coverage. His shooting is still developing, but the jump shot is solid. With a high release point, Goodman can get it off against most coverages.
Goodman’s post game is still a work in progress. He has a few nice moves he uses to get to the basket, but if they don’t work, he is stuck. Maybe his best skill on offense is his nose for the basketball. Goodman is a skilled rebounder and great at putting back misses at the rim. His processing isn’t always great and the game moves fast for him at times, but the skillset is there.
Goodman is definitely more of a play finisher than an offensive hub, but he profiles as a top tier play finisher. He does however have some underrated skill with the ball in his hands. It’s nothing special, but his handle at his size is impressive and should allow him to take opposing bigs off the dribble at times. At the rim, his touch could improve a bit, but it’s not anything to worry about at this stage. Goodman is not the greatest passer and his vision is not good but he won’t be asked to do much of that at the next level.
Goodman is not your typical slow, flat footed lob threat however. He is a twitchy athlete and is light on his feet which allows him to guard in the post or out on the perimeter. He is not going to be able to guard 1-5, but you can trust him on a forward which will be a great asset to have for Mike Rhoades. He loves to block shots at the rim and erase some layups but he sometimes gets a little too jumpy on that end.
The final word:
Goodman needs to add more strength to be able to bang in the post in the Big Ten, but he has the frame for it. With his athleticism and speed for his size he fits the profile perfectly as someone who can excel in the Mike Rhoades “chaos” defense.
This is a huge recruiting win for Mike Rhoades, as he adds a player that can help define his legacy at Penn State. It’s easy to call Goodman a more raw prospect, and while I agree there is some rawness, I think it is being overstated. As Mike Rhoades noted on Wednesday I think his best basketball is a few years down the line, but I believe his athleticism and instincts can help him be a contributor from day 1.
Last thoughts on the 2024 Penn State basketball recruiting class
This is an impressive first haul for the Mike Rhoades era of Penn State basketball. All 3 players seem like they could be multi contributors at Penn State with unique skill sets. Time will tell how successful they end up being, but for now you couldn’t have asked for much more out of Rhoades in the first cycle.
