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Yanic Konan Niederhauser elects to stay in NBA Draft

nate-mug-10.12.14by: Nate Bauer05/28/25NateBauerBWI
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Penn State big man Yanic Konan Niederhauser will stay in the NBA Draft. (Photo Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)

Yanic Konan Niederhauser has made his decision. On the final day for college-eligible NBA Draft prospects to choose to stay in the draft or return to school, the Swiss-born center has elected to pursue his professional dreams.

Jon Rothstein reported the news first. Blue White Illustrated can confirm it.

The decision follows a two-month process that saw the Penn State rising fourth-year big man enter the NBA Draft process on Wednesday, April 2. Despite the choice, he maintained collegiate eligibility and decided not to enter the transfer portal.

The ascent for Konan Niederhauser has been rapid, working through the NBA Draft process to include individual meetings and workouts with teams, as well as participation in both the NBA G League Elite Camp and the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago earlier this month. Saying that he wanted to play out the process before deciding on his college or professional future in an interview following his standout performance in the G League camp, his choice now puts him in line to become the program’s first NBA Draft selection since Jalen Pickett and Seth Lundy were chosen in the second round of the 2023 draft.

Among all center prospects in the combine, he had the top athleticism numbers in standing vertical leap (33.5 inches), max vertical leap (37.0 inches), shuttle run (2.84 seconds), and three-quarter sprint (3.20). His lane agility also measured second overall out of the nine center prospects, finishing with a time of 11.45 seconds.

“His athletic tools, huge frame (7-0, 250 pounds), defensive potential, and ability to catch and finish made him interesting to teams in the Elite Camp setting. He wasn’t as impactful in the run of play in the combine 5-on-5, which featured higher-level opposition and more size on the floor,” ESPN’s Jeremy Woo wrote. “Niederhauser’s physicality can be sporadic, and he’ll need to wield his size to his advantage more consistently to establish himself in the NBA.”

The most recent mock draft from Jonathon Givony and Woo at ESPN picked Konan Niederhauser at No. 36 overall to the Brooklyn Nets, the sixth pick in the second round.

Where things stand for Penn State

Guards Freddie Dilione, Dominick Stewart, Kayden Mingo, Reggie Grodin
Wings Eli Rice, Mason Blackwood, Josh Reed
Bigs Justin Hauser, Ivan Juric

Penn State scholarship breakdown by class

Fifth year (0): 
Fourth year (1): Josh Reed
Third year (2): Freddie Dilione, Eli Rice
Second year (1): Dominick Stewart
First year (5): Justin Hauser, Mason Blackwood, Kayden Mingo, Ivan Juric, Reggie Grodin

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