Penn State hires alum Scott Pera as its first-ever men’s basketball GM, reuniting him with coach Mike Rhoades.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State men’s basketball has hired Scott Pera as its first-ever General Manager, head coach Mike Rhoades announced. The Hershey native and Penn State graduate brings nearly 20 years of college basketball coaching experience to University Park, most recently serving as head coach at Rice University for seven seasons.
Pera will oversee recruiting and roster management strategies, develop NIL networks, assist with fundraising efforts, and lead game scheduling for the Nittany Lions program. The appointment marks a significant organizational shift as college basketball programs adapt to the evolving landscape of Name, Image, and Likeness deals and transfer portal management.
Reunion of Former Colleagues
The hiring reunites Pera with Rhoades, under whom he served as associate head coach at Rice from 2014-17. Their partnership proved successful, culminating in a 23-win season in 2016-17 that ranked as the second-most wins in Rice program history.
“We are really excited to have Scott Pera join our program as General Manager,” said Rhoades. “Scott is well equipped to navigate the new landscape of college basketball and brings a wealth of experience, passion and leadership with him. He directly knows how I want to operate a program and develop our young men moving forward. It is great to bring Scott back home and work with him again.”
Pera expressed enthusiasm about returning to his alma mater. “I am thrilled to be the new GM of Penn State Basketball,” he said. “To have this opportunity at my alma mater with one of my best friends is such a unique and awesome opportunity. I am looking forward to helping Coach Rhoades continue to grow this program as we navigate the constantly changing landscape of college basketball. I hope to assist him and the staff in a variety of ways to help them take Penn State back to the NCAA Tournament.”
Extensive Coaching Background
During his tenure as Rice’s head coach from 2017-24, Pera guided the Owls to two postseason appearances and achieved winning records in five of his first six seasons. His coaching journey includes two seasons at Penn, where Basketball Times recognized him as the top assistant in the Ivy League and ranked him No. 19 nationally among low-to-mid-major programs in 2013 and 2014.
Pera spent six seasons at Arizona State from 2006-12, where the Sun Devils averaged 18 wins per season under his guidance as an assistant coach. The program achieved three 20-win campaigns, earned an at-large NCAA Tournament bid in 2009, and made two NIT appearances during his tenure.
High School Success
Before entering college basketball, Pera compiled an impressive 258-65 record over 11 years as a high school coach. His most notable achievement came at Artesia High School from 2000-06, where he coached future NBA All-Star and Olympic Gold Medalist James Harden and led teams to seven league championships and two CIF Southern Section Division III championships.
Pera previously coached Annville-Cleona High School from 1995-2000, capturing the Pennsylvania state title with a 30-3 record in 1999. He earned multiple Coach of the Year honors throughout his high school career. Pera got his coaching start as in assistant at Elizabethtown College from 1992-93. Pera graduated from Penn State’s Harrisburg campus in 1989.
