Update 5 p.m.: Penn State men’s basketball has officially announced that Curtis Jones Jr. has been granted an NCAA waiver for immediate eligibility.

Jones Jr. will be able to play in tonight’s game against Maryland Eastern Shore at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Curtis Jones Jr. granted waiver; eligible to play for Penn State tonight in season opener. Nittany Lions tip-off at 7 pm in BJC. https://t.co/mvZuDTwW3z #WeAre #ClimbWithUs

— Penn State Men’s Basketball (@PennStateMBB) November 5, 2019

“We are thrilled for Curtis and appreciate the assistance from Oklahoma State and the work of the NCAA,” head coach Pat Chambers said in a release. “Curtis worked incredibly hard to complete his degree ahead of schedule and is continuing his education in graduate school at Penn State and pursuing his passion on the court as a Nittany Lion this season.”

Original Story: Penn State men’s basketball’s backcourt reportedly got a huge spark on Tuesday afternoon when Curtis Jones Jr. was granted an NCAA waiver for immediate eligibility.

CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein reported that Jones Jr. will be eligible to play for the entire 2019-20 season.

Sources: Penn State's Curtis Jones has received a waiver from the NCAA and is eligible for the entire 19-20 college basketball season. Transfer from Oklahoma State.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 5, 2019

The Nittany Lions announced that Jones Jr. had transferred to the university on September 4 after spending his first three years of NCAA eligibility with Oklahoma State and Indiana. He’ll wrap up his collegiate career with Pat Chambers’ program, which is hoping to improve on a disappointing 14-18 record from the 2018-19 season.

Jones Jr. averaged 8.1 points per game with Oklahoma State last season, and he converted on 32.5% of his shots from three-point range. He’s definitely capable of going on prolonged scoring streaks during games, which was evidenced by a 19-point performance against Kansas while he played for Indiana in 2016.

Beyond that, Jones will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge as one of Penn State’s elder statesmen this season.

“I’m trying to be a leader since I’m of one the older guys. I’ll do that by sharing experiences that I’ve had so far in my career,” Jones said last month. “I’ll try to do as much as I can on defense, especially in rebounding.”

Penn State hasn’t confirmed Rothstein’s report, so it’s unclear whether or not Jones will make his Penn State debut during the team’s season opener tonight at the Bryce Jordan Center. Tip-off between the Nittany Lions and Maryland Eastern Shore is currently slated for 7 p.m. in Happy Valley.