Q&A with new Penn State basketball transfer commit Andrew Funk

Penn State Nittany Lions basketball head coach Micah Shrewsberry and staff had a big day Thursday.

With big vacancies to fill ahead of the 2022-23 season, Penn State added two commitments through the transfer portal. Beginning with an announcement from Bucknell guard Andrew Funk, and followed soon thereafter by Camren Wynter of Drexel, the Nittany Lions received a big boost.

Blue White Illustrated caught up with both Wynter and Funk on Thursday upon their decisions to play for Penn State.

Here’s a look at Funk’s decision-making process, his game, and what to expect at Penn State, lightly edited for clarity:

Why Penn State?

Funk: From the start, there’s that baseline criteria of how well you connect with the coaches, which I did immediately. Coach Mike Farrelly was my main recruiter and then I was in contact with Coach Shrewsberry a lot. I love what they were doing and the conversations we had and the vision they had for me.

I think one of the big thing for me is that I think coming out of Bucknell, a lot of people are just going to see me going to the Big Ten and they’re gonna think, OK, he’s probably just gonna go there and shoot threes. But, I think they saw me for my complete game and they want me to do a lot of other things, which I really appreciated.

And then, I think there’s just something to be said for going to the premier state school in your home state. I’m only going up the road an hour from Bucknell my parents and my family can still come see me play. And, to compete in a conference like the Big Ten, I thought about things like that and I thought it was a no brainer, man. I was really pumped up about it.

What was your career arc at Bucknell?

Funk: One of the things that I kind of like to hang my hat on is that I got better every year. I was a skilled freshman, but I was skinny. I wasn’t ready to compete physically and I got over that hump. And then every year I felt like I kept adding on to my game.

So I think that kind of culminated with this year. Obviously, we didn’t have the success wins and losses wise, but I definitely had the confidence in myself that I was playing some of the best basketball I’ve ever played. I think that year over year development kind of culminated in a senior year like that, where you can look back and see how far I’ve come and where I started.

What would be your self scout?

Funk: Especially this year, I was relied on a lot to score the ball. Offensively, I think a lot of my game translates to that, that I’m bringing to Penn State. I think I’m a really good shooter, but I can dribble and pass it really well.

One of the things that I really talked about with Coach Shrewsberry was how well I can pass the ball and how well he can utilize me in their offense. I think that’s one big thing that I’ll bring.

I think there’s also something to be said for me being a fifth-year guy and having played serious minutes for four years at college already. The leadership things that I can bring, the experience to help out some of the young guys. In the program where it’s only Coach Shrewsberry’s second year, it’s already going up, and maybe I can help expedite that process and bring that experience to the table.

What do you see for Penn State?

Funk: Definitely. That’s definitely a big reason why they recruited me is that it was their first year this year and I think there’s something to be said for guys coming into it. Then going into the second year knowing their system, I think is a big thing, too. So I think I can definitely come and help with that. I think that’s a big part of the reason why they recruited me.

And then just looking like at the more general picture, obviously, the first year they finished eleventh in the Big Ten. But it’s arguably the best conference in the country and it’s a conference where, if you finish in the top half, you’re probably going to the NCAA tournament, which excites me. There are gonna be battles every day.

So I think in terms of what I see for Penn State next year, I want to get over that hump of going from the middle of the bottom half to the middle of the top half and then see what we can do postseason-wise. So I think that’s a really appealing part of the decision for me as well.

Not a question, but you sound excited.

Funk: Yeah.I’ve been doing this process for about a month and a half right now, and it’s just been pure craziness. You’re like, how am I ever gonna pick a school? So there’s a sense of comfort in that, that I did pick the school.

But then, just that it’s Penn State. I thought about it the past couple of days and I knew I was gonna make it official. I just got more and more pumped up about it the more I thought about it. So I’m just glad that you said that because I am. I’m super excited. I can’t wait to get up there and play and get to work. It’s definitely exciting for me.

When do you expect to get to Penn State?

Funk: They haven’t gotten that to me yet. I kind of just made it official yesterday and put it out today. So, they haven’t really gotten me those dates. But one of the convenient things for me is that even right now, I’m 45 minutes to an hour away. And then even when I’m at home, I’m a drive away.

We’ll be there in the summer to get acclimated, get to work, get to know my new teammates, get better, all that kind of stuff. But they haven’t given me an official date. I’m assuming probably sometime at the end of May, early June, I’ll be up there.

What should I have asked?

Funk: I really wanted to challenge myself for the last year, and I thought this was a great way to do it in a program that is going in an upward trajectory, that has a chance to be good next year in a conference like the Big Ten and where I’m going to be pushed every day. Especially come conference play, we’re going to be challenged every day with every game.

I think that was a big part of of the decision for me. I’m gonna be challenged, it’s gonna be hard, and it’s a big thing that I’m honestly looking forward to. To getting myself better, and putting myself to work like that. 

How would you classify your position?

Funk: I usually get listed as a combo guard, I guess. I didn’t play a ton of point guard. But I think the way I play, especially in the halfcourt offense, I want to be a ball handler that can make plays for myself and for others. So I kind of put that as, I’m not out there to score. I’m out there to help the team win. Not me specifically scoring. I think that’s a big part of it. I would say combo guard.