By Nate Bauer

When Patrick Chambers preaches the gospel of patience, his intended target extends beyond the players, staff, personnel and fans enveloped in the Penn State men’s basketball program.

More anxious than anyone to usher in a new era of success for the Nittany Lions, the day-by-day, moment-by-moment focus has been his prevailing mantra the past two years. But, weekly reminders of the ups and downs accompanying a years-long “process” to resuscitate hoops in Happy Valley often serve to stress a broader perspective for the ultra-competitive Chambers, even more so than the media and fans receiving the message.

Welcoming the highest-rated recruiting class in the program’s history - a four-member group that includes three Pennsylvania first-team all-state selections and a former Rivals150 forward - plus two talented redshirts, the influx of talent is undeniable. In total, six of 12 eligible scholarships this season will be filled by players who have never played a minute of action for Penn State, marking the unofficial arrival of the program’s long-awaited future.

Forgive Chambers, though, for not getting carried away with the moment’s implications this summer.

“I think there's a little bit of kick in our step,” Chambers said. “We all know what we want to do. We all know the expectations we have, and that's what we are going to strive for. But, we can't get ahead of ourselves. I know you guys don't want to hear process, but it really is.”

Beginning with the arrival of 6-foot-8 forward Joe Hampton for the first summer session in May, the biggest steps of the process are now very much in progress.

A product out of prestigious Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, the left-hander missed the entirety of his senior season due to a knee injury. Given an opportunity to jump start his career as a Nittany Lion, Hampton is already deep into the first weeks of his academic and collegiate playing experience.

A big body with developed skill in the post and beyond-the-arc, Hampton’s biggest goal is to chisel into playing shape before the start of the season. Now able to work out, shoot and run coming off the injury, he’s been met with an entirely different level of intensity in all facets of the game at Penn State. Said Chambers, “The injury hurt him a little bit, but he's already eating well, he's already listening to us, he's already doing what he's supposed to do. I look for him Summer Session II to be 100 percent, full force.”

At that point, he’ll be met by the rest of the Class of 2016 in the form of Philadelphia Roman Catholic’s trio of PIAA first-team all-state performers. Academically on track for a smooth arrival, the contingent of point guard Tony Carr, wing Nazeer Bostick and forward Lamar Stevens are all set to join the program in late-June.

The first commitment of the class in April 2015, Bostick represents the brand of toughness that leaves Chambers salivating. Identifying the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder as “one of the toughest kids” the program has recruited - including transfer guard Terrence Samuel from UConn with the same distinction - Bostick owns an aggressively competitive on-court demeanor Chambers likes to describe diplomatically.

“He's a super terrific kid. I would say he's competitive,” said Chambers, comparing Bostick to Oklahoma City’s polarizing Russell Westbrook. “I think Naz has that chip. He just makes winning plays. He's going to make us so much better because he's a fierce competitor.”

Finishing the season with 11.6 points per game, Bostick earned first-team all-state for what effectively boils down to constant, relentless effort. Taking charges, grabbing rebounds and finishing in traffic, Bostick is hoping to improve his jump shooting before arriving at Penn State to expand his offensive arsenal. Said Bostick, “I think if I can shoot a little better, that can make me harder to guard. So I'm working on that a lot right now, catch and shoot and pull-ups.”

Fellow Cahillite and first-team all-state selection Lamar Stevens knows plenty about being difficult to guard. The 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward dominated the Philadelphia Catholic League his senior season, averaging 15.0 points per game while leading Roman with 27 points and seven rebounds in the state championship win against Allderdice.

Capable of playing inside and out, Chambers said that Stevens owns the size and athleticism to bang with some of the bigger bodies of the conference from the onset of his career as a Nittany Lion.

“He’s got a man’s body already. He's Big Ten ready,” said Chambers, citing Stevens’ elite finishing, post-up and midrange game complementing the mismatch problems he presents. “He is a weapon because we can play him on the perimeter. If he's got a bigger guy on him, he's going to blow by him. If he's got a smaller guy on him, we can post him up. I mean, there's so many different things.

“And, we want to run. We are athletic, we have speed, we're really fast, we want to get up and down the floor, and Lamar is going to really be rewarded by running because he's that good of a finisher and he's that fast up and down the court.”

Running, a strategy Chambers has oft repeated in anticipation of his roster’s new makeup for the 2016-17 season, all comes back to new heights of talent and increased depth from the starting five to the end of the bench. Between the evolution and maturity of combo guard Shep Garner, Samuel at the point, the athleticism and versatility of Payton Banks, Isaiah Washington, Davis Zemgulis and Josh Reaves, plus bigs who can get up and down the floor in Julian Moore and Mike Watkins, it’s an identity Chambers is working to fit his assortment of talent.

Directing the new, uptempo pace of the Lions, Pennsylvania Class AAAA Player of the Year Tony Carr has an opportunity to step in and put his imprint on the program immediately. A two-time PCL and state champion, the 6-foot-3, 185 pound point guard continues to develop as a leader, eager to compete for the job this summer at a position Chambers instructs vigorously and with high expectations. Said Carr, “It means a lot that he wants me to play point guard, especially my freshman year because it just tells me that he has the ultimate confidence in my game and just my leadership and those types of things.”

The feeling is mutual.

“I just think you're going to love his demeanor. He's a winner,” said Chambers. “He's going to show he has great poise and composure, and he's going to keep everybody on point or organized.”

Averaging 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds as a senior, Carr will look to bring the elite skill, hoops IQ and maturity that Chambers sees throughout the class. Understanding the effort necessary to compete in the Big Ten and at the level Penn State hopes to reach, it’s a group representing the palpable progress of the sometimes subtle, often challenging strides the program has taken.

More than five years since taking the job, the Nittany Lions are coming off a 7-11 conference record, the best in Chambers’ tenure. Through the struggles of recruiting in a scandal-plagued environment, at last, the staff’s tireless effort to cultivate the best talent in Philadelphia has produced the type of results that Chambers believes can change a program’s fortunes.

“Tony, he's one of those special kids that can be a program changer along with Lamar and (Joe and Nazeer),” said Chambers. “It took us five years to get the right kids and to start getting better recruiting classes. It takes time. And thank goodness Penn State gave me the time.”

*****

What else is in the latest issue of Blue White Illustrated's magazine - our special Newcomers of Influence? Let's take a closer look at some of the feature stories, news and notes, here!

THE RUNDOWN:

WRESTLING - The Penn State wrestling program continues to exert its influence, sending Frank Molinaro to the upcoming summer Olympics. And, with an incoming class of wrestlers that has plenty of ambition throughout, the future continues to look exceedingly bright for the Nittany Lion program.

FOOTBALL - We lead off our football coverage with a special sit down with Tommy Stevens, the redshirt freshman quarterback who spent the spring competing with Trace McSorley for the Nittany Lions' starting job. Along with a feature look at the names and faces that could define Penn State's 2016 season from the freshman and redshirt freshman classes, you won't want to miss our football coverage in this issue.

RECRUITING - As always, BWI recruiting analysts Ryan Snyder and Tim Owen have your Penn State football recruiting fix. In this issue, we look at the names and faces who Penn State has firmly set its sights on for Class of 2017 recruiting, offer spring recruitment updates, commitment analysis, up-close-and-personal articles on a handful of the newest Nittany Lions, and more!

YEAR IN REVIEW - It's that time again. Blue White Illustrated is proud to present our year in review of the Penn State athletic season, including honors bestowed to coach of the year, male and female athletes of the year, and our male and female freshmen of the year. You won't want to miss this look at the names and faces who defined Penn State's 2015-16 sport seasons.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE - BWI special contributor and Penn State historian Lou Prato argues why the Penn State-Pitt rivalry needs to be renewed on a permanent basis.

And these are just a few of the many stories and features that come with every edition of Blue White Illustrated's magazine, including Varsity Views and more!

ORDER YOUR BWI MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION HERE!