How Penn State basketball's transfer exits performed in 2021-22
Penn State Nittany Lions basketball saw seven scholarship players transfer elsewhere last offseason, as the program underwent a coaching change following Pat Chambers’ resignation.
They spread out all across the nation, with varying degrees of success.
Let’s take a look at how all seven of them fared.
Guard Myreon Jones started 21 of Florida’s 33 games in 2021-22. He averaged 8.5 points per game — just over half of his average during his final season at Penn State. Jones shot 35.5 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from beyond the arc. He posted 1.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game as the Gators went 20-14, missing out on the NCAA Tournament.
Izaiah Brockington – Iowa State
Of all the departures Penn State endured last season, Izaiah Brockington’s was probably the most significant. He finished fourth in the Big 12 with 16.9 points per game. He also proved to be a terrific rebounder, collecting 6.8 boards per game — which also ranked fourth in the conference. Brockington shot 44.7 percent from the floor on his way to claiming first-team All-Big 12 honors. He elected to enter the NBA Draft following the conclusion of the season.
One of two transfers to face off with their former team directly this season, Jamari Wheeler got the best of Penn State twice during the regular season before the Nittany Lions knocked him and the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten Tournament. He started 31 games for OSU, scoring 7.1 points per contest, averaging 2.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals.
Trent Buttrick had a good season for himself in Amherst, starting 32 games and averaging 10.7 points on 44.1 percent shooting. Buttrick also grabbed 6.4 boards per contest as the Minutemen went 15-17. He set his season-high point total in early November when Penn State made the trip to Amherst, scoring 19 points in a lopsided UMass victory.
How did the rest of the Penn State transfers get on?
Abdou Tsimbila was one of a handful of Nittany Lions to make the move to Fordham this offseason. He played in 31 games for the Rams, starting 17 of them. He averaged 2.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.7 blocks as Fordham went 16-16.
DJ Gordon – Fordham
DJ Gordon played in just one game for the Rams this season, before entering the portal once more. He is verbally committed to Jacksonville State.
Patrick Kelly – Fordham
Patrick Kelly is the third and final Nittany Lion on our list who made the move to the Bronx last offseason. He played in 21 games for the Rams, averaging 12.1 minutes. He posted 2.9 points per game and 1.9 rebounds per contest.
Rasir Bolton finds success out west
Bolton is the only player on this list who did not depart from Happy Valley last offseason, Botlon transferred to Iowa State following the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, then moving on to Gonzaga ahead of this year. Bolton started 32 games for the Zags, averaging 11.2 points on 50.2 percent shooting. He also averaged 2.3 assists and 2.4 rebounds. Gonzaga won the WCC regular-season and tournament championships and fell to Arkansas in the Sweet 16.
