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.

Niederhauser is also the first Penn State basketball player drafted since Jalen Pickett (32nd overall) and Seth Lundy (46th overall) were selected in the 2023 draft. He's also the first center drafted since Calvin Booth, the former Denver Nuggets GM, was drafted 35th overall back in 1999.