Penn State men’s basketball’s hopes of playing in the postseason have come to an end. Many players who have worn the blue and white are still fighting for glory with their new schools. Learning from their time in Happy Valley, they took their talents elsewhere and played key roles in their schools’ 2025-26 season.

With the college basketball season zooming to an end, we’ve taken a look back and recapped these former players’ seasons. From in-state mid-majors to prestigious, historical programs, these are the top roundups heading into March Madness.

Evan Mahaffey, Senior, Akron

Evan Mahaffey committed to Penn State in 2021 as a four-star prospect by 247Sports in the Class of 2022. He was ranked as the No. 3 player in Ohio, the No. 30 small forward, and the No. 130 overall prospect.

Playing 28 minutes a night over the span of 34 games, Mahaffey played a crucial role in helping the Zips return to the big dance for the first time since 2024. He averaged 10.2 points with 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists on the season. The former Penn State guard will be starting for 12-seeded Akron in the first round of March Madness.

Kebba Njie, Senior, Notre Dame

Keba Njie played in all 37 games while making 26 starts as a true freshman in the Bryce Jordan Center. He was a consensus four-star recruit and No. 16 power forward in the country according to Rivals. After an impressive freshman year, he followed head coach Micah Shrewsberry to South Bend.

Njie suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier this season, ending a three-year run at Notre Dame. The big man was averaging 2.5 points and 3.9 rebounds a night before the injury.

Kanye Clary, Junior, Oklahoma State

The former guard led the team in scoring during the 2023-2024 season. Towards the end of the season, head coach Mike Rhoades dismissed Kanye Clary from the team due to a “coach’s decision.” After the incident, Clary entered the portal and landed in Mississippi for one season.

Clary played around 27.8 minutes through 32 games played for the Cowboys. He returned to the production he had once had in Happy Valley and averaged 10 points with 4.8 assists. He will look to play a crucial role in the team as Oklahoma State prepares for the NIT.

Javin Carter, Sophomore, Middle Tennessee

The three-star from Tennessee returned to his home state after struggling with minutes in Happy Valley his freshman year.

The shifty guard was able to show his talent with the Blue-Raiders. Javin Carter was able to score five times more than his scoring average from Penn State, as he scored 10 points a game this season. This offensive production points combined with the three rebounds and three assists a game is a glimpse of the talent that Penn State may have let slip away from them.

Demetrius Lilley, Senior, Binghamton

Demetrius Lilley played his first two seasons in Happy Valley. Playing as a reserve on the 2023 NCAA Tournament team, he played more in Mike Rhoades’ first season. He was able to give the Nittany Lions real minutes before he suffered injuries towards the end of the season.

After a productive season at La Salle, Lilley had a breakout 2025-2026 season. He proved to be the Bearcats’ go-to option, playing almost 34 minutes for 11 games. His year ended short due to an injury in early December, a crushing blow to Binghamton’s team. He averaged nearly a double-double in the games he played. He finished averaging 14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds a game.

Kachi Nzeh, Junior, Little Rock

The No. 2 player in Pennsylvania and a national top-25 prospect played his freshman year in the Bryce Jordan Center. Kachi Nzeh’s lone season with Penn State ended with an average of 2.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game over 29 appearances.

After a season-long stint with Xavier, Nzeh now finds himself with the Trojans in the Ohio Valley Conference. The forward saw his minutes increase to 28.4 a game. His production then increased as well, scoring 11.7 points a game with 4.8 rebounds. Nzeh had a remarkable 30-point night against school rivals Arkansas State earlier this season.

Puff Johnson, Guard, Ohio State

Puff Johnson spent his two years (out of six) with the Nittany Lions. He averaged 8.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 46 games suited up for the Blue and White. Before playing with Penn State, he played in the ACC with North Carolina, averaging 10.1 minutes per game.

Johnson did not get to see the court until December, as he waited for permission from the NCAA to play his sixth season of college basketball. He averaged 2.3 points and 1 rebound in around 11 minutes in 9 appearances for the Buckeyes.

Hudson Ward, Forward, Western Michigan

Hudson Ward played in eight games his freshman year with the Nittany Lions, where he never scored. The three-star took his talents to Western Michigan at the end of last season.

Ward made 13 appearances for the Broncos. Ward started the first six games of the season before moving to a bench role with much fewer minutes. He averaged 4.5 points with 3.4 rebounds.