We Are @PennStateMBB pic.twitter.com/BThnisnwQN
— Houston Mallette (@mallettehouston) May 15, 2020
Houston Mallette, ladies and gentlemen!
The Skinny
Hometown: Newport Beach, CA
High School: Pacifica Christian
Class: 2021
Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 170 pounds.
Ranking: NR
Notable Offers: Washington State, UNLV, James Madison, Eastern Washington Long Beach State, Florida State (interest), Villanova (interest)
Highlights
The Tale
Having secured the services of a big man earlier this week, the Nittany Lions now have another guard in the fold in Houston Mallette. Like TaQuan Woodley before him, this looks like another instance of Pat Chambers nabbing an underrated player early, in hopes that he hit the jackpot. Given recent results, you can’t fault him for the strategy.
Also like Woodley before him, don’t pay much attention to Houston’s lack of rating. The way things are at the moment, you’re going to be hard pressed to get many evaluations on players. This is especially true now that the summer AAU circuit may be completely off the table.
As a western guy, Mallette didn’t have many Eastern school offers, but did note that he was deciding between St. Mary’s, Villanova, and Penn State. Make of that what you will.
Outlook
Don’t look now, but Chambers is loading up on guys who can shoot the ball. The 2018 class had Myles Dread and Myreon Jones, the 2019 class had Seth Lundy and Patrick Kelly, and the 2020 class brings four guys who can shoot from basically anywhere. The dream of positionless basketball my still be alive in State College!
At 6-foot-5, it’s inevitable to make the comparison to Tony Carr, and while Mallette seems less polished than the former Nittany Lion guard, it’s not out of the realm of possibility he fills a similar role when he arrives on campus. With Jamari Wheeler leaving after this upcoming season, having depth in a position of need was vital. It’s likely Mallett will sit behind Sam Sessoms, who will either be on his senior season or coming off a redshirt year into his junior season.
With the addition of Mallette, the 2021 recruiting class has one spot left. Don’t be surprised if that spot remains open for one of the local talents later on in the cycle.
Welcome to Penn State, Houston!