STATE COLLEGE — It’s crazy to think that four days before Roko Prkačin’s first Penn State basketball game, he wasn’t even eligible to play.

Prkačin, a Croatian native who spent the 2025-26 season in France, exploded with a game-high 28 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes during the Nittany Lions’ 97-57 rout vs. Canisius in the season-opener on Monday, Nov. 2. He relentlessly attacked the paint, showing touch and power around the rim.

But it was unclear if the 6-foot-8 wing would play in the opener as everyone, including coach Mike Rhoades, waited for him to be cleared by the NCAA.

That news came Oct. 30. Three days later, Prkačin announced his arrival in front of the Penn State faithful.

“I just wanted to get out there on the court and play,” Prkačin said after the game. “The last couple of games I’ve been watching from the sidelines, and I was just excited to step on the court.”

He said it was stressful at times waiting for clearance, but his focus remained on trying to improve on the court. Waiting was also stressful for Mike Rhoades, who was continually asked when Prkačin would be cleared.

When the clearance finally came, Rhoades called Prkačin and yelled “Freedom!” into the phone, reminiscent of the movie “Braveheart.” Not every reaction was as pronounced, but everyone felt a mix of relief and happiness when they got the news.

“Since the day he’s got here, he’s done a really good job of giving himself to his teammates,” Rhoades said about Prkačin. “He kept saying, ‘I just want to put the uniform on.’ Well, he put it on tonight, that’s for sure.”

This is only one of 32 regular season games, and there will be better competition down the road for Prkačin and the rest of Penn State basketball. But opening night proved that the wait was worth it.