Penn State men’s basketball has a huge problem ahead of it.

In a stunning turn of events, Penn State commit Kayden Mingo has requested to be released from the program, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Sources: Penn State men’s basketball signee Kayden Mingo has requested release from his letter of intent. The four-star guard was rated as the Nittany Lions’ top recruit in program history pic.twitter.com/K7IJ0jVljK

— Pete Thamel (@ESPNPeteThamel) March 31, 2025

This comes after the Nittany Lions had a disappointing record of 16-15 last season despite getting off to a promising 12-2 start. As of now, it is unclear why Mingo decided to make this move, but the four-star guard will now search for a new home ahead of the 2025-26 season after requesting release from his letter of intent.

The Glen Head, New York, native was the program’s highest recruit as he was ranked as the 42nd-best player, fifth-best combo guard in the country, and second-best player in the state of New York by 247Sports Composite rankings. Mingo chose Penn State over Georgia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest.

During his time at Long Island Lutheran High School, Mingo averaged 13.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. In the process, he led the Crusaders to ESPN’s No. 3 ranking in the nation. He was also named the New York Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year and to the All-Nike EYBL Scholastic League Second Team this season.

Originally, the 6’2″ guard headlined the No. 23 recruiting class in the country, according to 247Sports, and was set to join the Nittany Lions alongside three-star recruits Mason Blackwood and Justin Houser.

After this announcement, it’s still unknown how this will affect Penn State and whether other recruits will follow suit.

Editor’s note: This story is part of Onward State’s April Fools’ Day series. It is satirical, meant for entertainment, and not to be taken literally. Any quotes were made up for the purpose of this post.