Video Breakdown: Penn State basketball gets versatile defender in Nick Kern
Penn State basketball put another piece of the puzzle in place for the 2023-2024 roster late Wednesday night when swing guard Nick Kern committed to the Nittany Lions. The 6-6 backcourt player started from the bench last season before entering the starting lineup for the final 19 games of the team’s season.
Today, Blue White Illustarted’s basketball insider Nate Bauer and host Thomas Frank Carr discuss the impact of Kern’s commitment, his value to the program that new head coach Mike Rhoades wants to build, and what’s next for the team.
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Kern brings length and athleticism to Penn State
To execute Rhoades’ plan at Penn State, the coach needs defense and athleticism. Kern provides both of those to the Nittany Lions.
“That’s kind of the if you look at the first thing that stands out about him in terms of what people say and how he’s perceived. He’s a lockdown defender, and he’s a versatile defender. He can guard a lot of different positions,” Bauer says.
While not every player that entered the transfer portal from VCU should make the trip to Penn State with Rhoades, Kern has the skills to play in the Big Ten, according to Bauer,
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“This guy can provide minutes and an integral part of what Mike Rhoades wants to do and set the tone for the new style at Penn State. That’s a fair assessment of what they’re getting here with Kern as far as the defensive side you mentioned. That’s a big part of his game as well.”
Getting Baldwin helped land Kern
Kern’s commitment to Penn State isn’t just about Rhoades. Getting former VCU point guard Ace Baldwin on Easter Sunday was essential to getting Kern.
“But you got Baldwin on Sunday. That was a huge one for Penn State. That’s a huge piece of what he wants to do here at Penn State. And now you add Kern to that, to that picture and the potential for more. And it’s yeah, things are starting to turn, and the pendulum is starting to swing right back toward having a roster.”
Despite the good news, the Nittany Lions still only have four players on the roster, including Kern and Baldwin. So the team still has plenty of work this spring to build a complete roster for the upcoming season.
