After three years in the U.S., including one season at Penn State, Niederhauser became a first-round pick of the Clippers, who selected him at No. 30 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. Niederhauser is the first Penn State player of the modern draft era to go in the first round. What did the Clippers see?

Penn State’s men’s basketball program is celebrating today after Yanic Konan Niederhauser became the first Nittany Lion selected in the 1st round of the NBA Draft. Niederhauser became the highest Penn State draft pick since the ABA-NBA merger when he was drafted 30th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

And with that pick the 7-foot, 250-pound center became the first Penn State player ever taken in the first round of the NBA Draft. He also became the first Nittany Lions player selected since both Jalen Pickett (Denver) and Seth Lundy (Atlanta) were taking in 2023.