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Penn State picked up their second commit for 2022 this week with the news that small forward Evan Mahaffey has verbally committed to the program.
I want to start off by saying none of this would be possible without God. Thank you to my family, my friends, coaches, and teammates that helped me get to this place in life. With that being said, I am excited to say that I will be committing to… pic.twitter.com/68hY8BnyBV
— Evan Mahaffey (@EvanMahaffey5) August 11, 2021
Mahaffey is a 6’5” small forward from Cincinnati that is ranked by 247Sports as a three-star prospect and the fourth best recruit in 2022 from the state of Ohio. They also list him as the 40th best small forward, while the 247Sports Composite Rankings list him just inside the top 200 prospects for 2022. Mahaffey also held offers from a number of schools including Cincinnati, Kansas State and West Virginia.
The forward joins Kanye Clary, a currently unranked point guard that committed in early June, in Penn State’s 2022 recruiting class.
The Ohio native has excelled at the high school level on the defensive side of the ball, using his wingspan and length to wreck havoc against opponents. His versatility on defense has allowed him to see playing time at all five spots in high school, though it’s expected Penn State will utilize him at the three spot with an emphasis on defense. So far he’s looked like a potential lockdown defender on the perimeter and should fit in well defensively in the Big Ten.
The Greater Catholic League South Division Defensive Player of the Year last year will need to work on his offensive skillset, though, averaging just 8.1 points per game in 2020-21. Developing his jump shot and adding some strength will be key for Mahaffey to help round out his game.