When Seth Lundy officially signed with Penn State men’s basketball in 2019, the versatile, 6’6” combo weapon became the fourth Roman Catholic High School product to land with Pat Chambers’ Philadelphia-ladden bunch since 2014. 

Nearly four years and three head coaches later, the career double-digit scorer and lockdown defender is prepped to test the waters in tonight’s NBA Draft, seeking to become the Nittany Lions’ first selection since Tony Carr fell to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2018. 

Immediately upon arriving in Happy Valley, the Paulsboro, New Jersey, native stepped into a key reserve role, leading to 31 games played and 15 starts for Chambers’ crew. The savvy forward began his four-year run as a “three-and-D” specialist, compiling a nearly 40% success clip from beyond the arc on nearly five attempts per outing. 

Despite notching two double-digit scoring logs in non-conference action, Lundy morphed into a formidable force at the turn of the New Year in Big Ten play. In just over a month’s span, Lundy posted scoring displays of 15, 12, 18, and 19 points, respectively, in the face of Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue, and Iowa. 

His sparkplug persona reached a campaign high in Mackey Arena, where the upset-minded Nittany Lions ousted the Boilermakers 88-76 on the road — a spot where Penn State historically claims a dismal 3-24 record. 

However, Lundy’s late-season incline came to a halt due to the cancelation of all postseason tournaments at the hands of COVID-19 precautions. But, the time away from the Bryce Jordan Center’s confines eventually lifted Lundy into a 24-minute per game cornerstone under interim leader Jim Ferry’s reign. 

Lundy’s killer instinct clicked during Penn State’s opening three-game slate, highlighted by a 32-point performance against VCU that included five triples. The New Jersey product notched 67 points during the span, giving him the Big Ten scoring crown to kick off his sophomore cycle. 

While the underclassman battled consistency concerns and nagging injuries, he never failed to put up gaudy numbers in spurts when Penn State needed it most. On the heels of a five-game conference slide, the Nittany Lions took down Rutgers thanks to a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double masterclass from Lundy. From there, Ferry’s bunch ripped off four victories over its next six battles, positioning themselves in the thick of the Big Ten’s midseason polling. 

Similarly, Lundy delivered a 31-point outing on a 63% three-point conversion rate to cap off the regular season at Maryland — a spot, similar to Mackey Arena, where Penn State has historically failed to find success with a 2-10 all-time record. 

At the campaign’s conclusion, the attack-first offensive centerpiece upped his scoring production from 5.3 points per go-around as a freshman to 10.1 during his sophomore immersion. The rapid ascension only continued to climb as Micah Shrewsberry took control of the program’s immediate future, and inserted Lundy into the fold as a 33-minute per matchup focal point. 

Although future All-American Jalen Pickett began his tenure donning the blue and white slow, Lundy picked up the immediate lack in production, accumulating single-game lines of 23, 14, 11, and 23 points in his first four matchups. Moreover, the ascending threat posted double-digit scoring performances in 12 of his first 14 games. 

Lundy initially gained notoriety across the conference as a junior for his steady threat to score from all three levels, but his prowess as a lockdown defender eventually put him on the radar of NBA scouts. As the primary defender in the face of all opposing No. 1 options, Lundy’s staunch pressure accumulated the lowest-opposing shooting percentage among Big Ten defenders in 2021. 

As a senior, Lundy maintained his defensive stronghold and upped his offensive output to a 14.2 point-per-game second option to Pickett’s ball-centric playstyle. The four-year staple erased the streaky narrative by scoring 10 points or more in 31 matchups, including three double-double masterclasses. 

Needing at least one conference tournament triumph to end the Nittany Lions’ 12-year NCAA Tournament drought, Lundy shined against Illinois in the United Center. The do-it-all commodity delivered 17 points and 10 rebounds in a timely fashion, but his postseason tear didn’t end there. 

Moving forward, Lundy ended the Big Ten Tournament on the five-man All-Tournament team, among the likes of Trayce Jackson-Davis of Indiana and Zach Edey of Purdue. Additionally, his 16.75 points over the four-day event made him one of the tournament’s most impactful sidekicks, regardless of position. 

Heading into the NBA Draft, Lundy poses the opportunity to fall off the board as a late second-round selection. If the four-year Penn State focal point fails to hear his name called, he’ll all but certainly warrant a spot on an NBA Summer League squad, which spans from July 7 to 17 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

In last month’s NBA Combine, Lundy’s pair of scrimmage performances arguably shined brighter than any other prospect rivaling for a late-round bid. Through two matchups, Lundy buried 8-of-11 attempts from beyond the arc and compiled 30 total points in 42 minutes. 

ESPN’s latest two-round mock draft pegs Lundy landing with the Portland Trail Blazers as the No. 43 pick. The same projection includes Pickett being sent to the nation’s capital, as the No. 42 overall selection by the Washington Wizards. 

While the 60-pick cycle limits war room leeway at the NBA level, Lundy’s ability to score in volumes at the mid-range mark, consistently deliver timely value from distance, and capacity to lock up defensively mark him one of Penn State’s most well-rounded professional prospects since the century’s turn.