Transfer Spotlight of the Day: Zach Hicks
Penn State and head coach Mike Rhoades didn’t have to look far to find a forward with high-level shooting capability to replace Myles Dread and Seth Lundy.
Zach Hicks, a former Temple Owl, was right around the corner in Philadelphia and committed to Penn State a month after entering the transfer portal.
Hicks was a four-star transfer recruit and the 94th-best transfer in the portal according to 247Sports.
At six feet and eight inches tall and weighing 195 pounds, Hicks is a lanky forward that can be a defensive mismatch for a lot of teams.
His shooting ability may surprise some fans as he possesses a lethal three-point shot and can knock them down from anywhere on the court.
In 60 games with Temple in two seasons, he led the Owls in made threes in both seasons, connecting on 141 triples at a 36.3 percent clip throughout his first two years.
Hicks is from Camden, New Jersey and attended Camden Catholic High School where he earned second-team All-State honors after averaging 20 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
As a freshman at Temple, he appeared in 28 games and averaged 8.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
His shooting ability was quickly at the forefront as he hit 61 three-pointers, including a school-record 10 triples against Delaware State.
This shooting performance from Hicks tied the most triples made by a Division 1 player during the 2021-22 season.
The next year, his numbers improved and he averaged 9.6 points and 5.1 rebounds while drilling 80 triples during the season.
Hicks shot an impressive 35.6% from beyond the arc and scored in double figures in 18 games.
His length and ability to shoot over defenders at a high level are skills that Seth Lundy was able to provide for the Nittany Lions this year.
Hicks will look to provide this same skillset for Rhoades and his staff this season and he will provide Penn State with the ability to stretch the floor.
Defensively, he will be able to guard a variety of positions and his perimeter defense will be much needed in Rhoades’ defensive scheme.
The hot shooting of Hicks will be on full display this season as he makes the transition to a Power Five school and a new head coach.
Thomas English is a second-year broadcast journalism major. To contact him, email tfe5082@psu.edu.
