Penn State Hires Scott Pera First Men's Basketball General Manager

Penn State men's basketball has hired Scott Pera as the program's first-ever General Manager, reuniting him with head coach Mike Rhoades. Pera, a Hershey, Pennsylvania native and Penn State graduate, brings nearly 20 years of college basketball coaching experience, including seven seasons as head coach at Rice University. In his new role, Pera will oversee recruiting and long-term roster management strategies, develop Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) networks, assist in fundraising, and lead game scheduling efforts. The hiring reflects a growing trend in college sports to employ administrators adept at navigating the evolving landscape of roster management, NIL, and transfer portal complexities. Pera and Rhoades previously worked together at Rice, where their partnership led to a successful 23-win season, the second-most in school history. Pera expressed enthusiasm about returning to his alma mater and helping guide the program back to the NCAA Tournament.