Hoops recruiting: Nittany Lions land juco big man Valdir Manuel

Penn State has added to its Class of 2020 recruiting haul with the verbal commitment of 6-foot-10 junior college big man Valdir Manuel, who announced his decision Thursday morning via social media.

Manuel's road to Penn State has been winding, first committing to Seton Hall, then St. John's.

But Corey Evans, Rivals.com's national hoops recruiting analyst, says the Nittany Lions are picking up a valuable addition in Manuel.

"Hard, hard playing dude! He has a college-ready body and has a decent skillset from 12-feet and in," Evans said. "High motor guy that runs the floor and is a good athlete around the basket. Shot blocker and rebounder that will impact the program immediately thanks to physical traits. Tone setter in the paint."

Manuel will have two years of eligibility remaining upon his Penn State arrival, which is expected to be following his season at Harcum College in the spring.

At Harcum, Manuel is a 2019-20 Street and Smith junior college "Super Soph" second-teamer, coming off a freshman campaign in which he averaged 13.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.