’26 PSA Cardinals/LUHI Guard Talks Alabama Visit, Options
By ZACH SMART
A long, big guard at 6-foot-5, five star recruit Dylan Mingo has become one of the most coveted products on the national recruiting market.
The Class of 2026 Mingo, of Long Island Lutheran, is coming off a recent visit to University of Alabama. Penn State and Oklahoma were recently in to see the multi-layered guard, who has blossomed into a legitimate McDonald’s All American hopeful.
“The Alabama visit went smooth,” Mingo said Thursday night.
“The campus was really nice. The basketball part is pretty self-explanatory. They win. They prepare guys for the next level. They have a great coaching staff. They spoke to me a lot about just using analytics to make my game more efficient. And how to use my length defensively.”
Mingo’s older brother, former LUHI poster boy Kayden Mingo, has been happy with his experience thus far at Penn State.
He has lofty expectations to author a major impact as a freshman with the Nittany Lions this season.
“(Kayden) really likes it there,” Mingo said.
“Coach (Mike) Rhoades is telling me I can be a trend setter and go to a program like there, instead of program where a bunch of five stars are being recruited.”
A Farmingdale, NY native and four year varsity player at LUHI, Dylan Mingo has improved incrementally with his shot-making acumen. He has subsequently quickened his shot release, developing a knack for sticking highly contested shots.
Mingo’s positional versatility and prolific scoring was on display at NBPA Top 100 Camp this summer, as he turned in a game of 10 rebounds as well as a game in which he shot a blistering 11-for-11 from the free throw line.
Mingo narrowly missed a triple double during his performance against Team Singleton, as he scored 30 points and doled out a game-best 11 assists to go with eight rebounds.
As he takes on a significant leadership role at Preseason Top-10 LUHI as a seasoned senior, Mingo is tasked with helping cushion the loss of a radiant troika in Nigel James (now at Marquette), Kiyan Anthony (Syracuse), and of course Kayden Mingo (Penn State). All three were claimed by 2025 graduation.
A physical, confrontational defender with a big game engine, Kayden Mingo was the team’s emotional leader the past two seasons.
Whether it was laying down and taking a charge during crunch time or seizing the hot hand during crucial junctures of a big game (Kayden Mingo’s 25 points on the strength of 5-for-7 from 3-point range was instrumental in delivering a pulsating 77-67 win over Columbus HS during the MADE Hoops Holiday Classic), he set a loud tone.
“I’m just trying to do the things (Kayden) did to keep the guys and the program intact,” said Dylan Mingo.
“I learned as much as I could from him last year. I pretty much just tried to observe it so I can learn how to lead this year.”
While John Buck’s nationally powerful contender lost the aforementioned vaunted backcourt to graduation, LUHI moved swiftly in harvesting new talent.
The Crusaders revamped their depth chart this off-season, adding 6-foot-5 Top-50 wing Kayden Allen, four star guard Jamaal McKnight Jr. and high motored, versatile 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward TJ Crumble.
A more substantial role is also anticipated from 2027 Moussa Kamissoko, an instinctive Swiss army knife caliber 6-foot-8 wing who guards nearly every position at this level.
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