Too powerful for forwards. Too agile for centers. Penn State Basketball's new transfer Kachi Nzeh will be a constant mismatch for opposing defenses next season.
The 6’8” power forward from Upper Darby, PA was formerly a three-star recruit and the second-ranked player from Pennsylvania in the 2023 recruiting class. He spent his freshman campaign at Xavier where he averaged 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game. Now he’s one of four new transfers joining a talented Nittany Lions roster for next season’s campaign.
JOIN TODAY AND GET 30 DAYS FREE! | THE LIONS DEN FORUM | PENN STATE FOOTBALL 2025 RECRUITING CLASS | PENN STATE BASKETBALL RECRUITING
Scouting Report
Nzeh saw the majority of his success last season inside, shooting 88% of his field goal attempts at the rim, converting on 61% of them. His efficiency was quite impressive for a true freshman. The big man put up 1 point per possession (ppp) on post-ups, good enough to be in the 73rd percentile nationally.
Another strength of Nzeh is his constant threat as an offensive rebounder. He had an impressive 9.3 offensive rebound % and totaled 1.18 ppp on putbacks, resulting in him being in the 62nd percentile for the category. This should be extremely helpful for a Penn State team that struggled rebounding their own missed shots last season. Out of 362 Division One teams, the Nittany Lions ranked 224th in offensive rebounds per game and 252nd in offensive rebound rate.
However, Nzeh’s contributions as a team player might be even more impactful. Playing smart team ball is often a skill that doesn’t jump off the screen but can make a huge difference in a game’s result. “I think the most undervalued part of my game is my IQ, I’m a willing passer and I like to make the right play for my team,” Nzeh told me, “whether it’s attacking a mismatch with the high-low in the post or directing traffic for our team to get a good shot, I’ve always felt that my IQ has been undervalued.”
Finding a place that would utilize his skillset was a major factor in the rising sophomore’s decision to come to Penn State. “Coach (Rhoades) and his assistants have believed in me and my abilities since I was in high school when they recruited me to VCU.” The sophomore forward also mentioned being close to home as playing a vital role in his decision, but his belief in Mike Rhoades and the rest of the coaching staff appeared to be the most important thing to him. “I chose Penn State because of the people that are on the staff,” he explained, “I feel like it is the perfect place to have fun playing basketball again and achieve goals and dreams.”
Nzeh mentioned that, while he played a bit of a limited role at his previous school, he never stopped working behind the scenes to be ready at any moment. He believes his hard work will pay off during off-season workouts. “I think during training people will be surprised at how well I can shoot and how good of a physical driver I can be,” he stated.
With three years of eligibility remaining, there’s plenty of time for Kachi Nzeh to develop into a big-time player. But in addition to being put in a position to utilize his strengths, he’ll need to continue working on his weaknesses too. Most notably, Nzeh posted a 23.1% turnover rate last season. However, his ball security improved throughout the year and his turnover rate dipped to just 13.6% in conference play, a strong testament to how quick of a learner the rising sophomore is.
OFF THE COURT....
More importantly than what he brings on the court, Nzeh is a great teammate and person off the court. “I’m one of those people who like to try everything,” he explained, “I was a film student for three years in high school, so I am pretty creative, but overall, I just like to go outside, try things, and talk to as many people as possible, I’m a pretty friendly person.” He also added that he hopes a Wawa gets put in sometime soon.
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
