Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1547107
N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6 41 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M M ike Rhoades understood changes would be necessary. Coming out of a 2025-26 season beset by growing pains for a young and inexpe- rienced group, he knew that his Nittany Lions needed to be tougher in this, his fourth season leading the program. Rhoades is determined to convert those changes into wins after turning to the transfer portal and the international market to radically transform the iden- tity of the PSU men's basketball team. With the nonconference slate ap- p roa c h i n g , B l u e W h i te I l l u s t ra ted caught up with Rhoades to learn more about the Nittany Lions' makeup, the challenges that still await, and what's next for the program. The conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and condensed for print. BWI How hard is it to instill the ele- ments of toughness and grit in players on this type of condensed timeline? MIKE RHOADES It's really hard. It's very difficult. But I know that if we don't have it, we have no chance, so it's at the front of our minds every day. Ev- erything we do, we have to do with a level of toughness and grit and have a level of resilience. We hope we can recruit that, and we're trying our hardest to, but then we have to take it to another level, or we have to instill it in guys, or we have to polish it every day. There's no other way to say it. And I don't mean to come across as crass at all, but that can't be one of your weaknesses, or you have no chance. BWI Players are being paid now. How does that influence your ability to teach those attributes? RHOADES There are a lot of outside influences and changes that may have guys feeling entitled or feeling like they've already made it. Part of having toughness and grit, and a person having a level of resilience, is [being aware that] you haven't made it yet. Now, because people are making money, and some are making a huge amount of money, they think they've made it, or it's just always going to be there, and they lose their hunger. They lose their level of com- petitiveness. You hope not, but that is there. Coaches talk about that, and even ath- letes have brought that up. It's just dif- ferent now because I have all this. I want these guys to get everything they can, but I still want their goals to be to win a championship and become a professional. That's your dream. You have to be hungry to do that every day. BWI How do players on a new team establish leadership? RHOADES Through competition. When you work so hard together and I N T E R V I E W M I K E R H O A D E S GUARDED OPTIMISM Mike Rhoades sees defensive intensity as a key to Penn State's outlook this season NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M Rhoades guided the Nittany Lions to a 44-52 record in his first three seasons with the program, including a 12-20 mark in the 2025-26 campaign. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS