Kansas State Basketball: How Newcomers Are Shaping The Team

Anthony Pasciolla | Sep 24, 2024

Kansas State coach Jerome Tang reacts to a play in the second half of the quarterfinal round in the Big 12 Tournament inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. / Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Kansas State Wildcats' basketball program is entering an adjustment year, with a multitude of new faces on the roster.

There are a total of 10 new players, eight of whom are transferring from other major schools. Former Illinois Fighting Illini wing Coleman Hawkins highlights the bunch. Wildcats coach Jerome Tang admits the haul of newcomers comes with its ups and downs.

"I feel really comfortable around them and I think they feel comfortable around each other," Tang said. "In the two-hour practice (Monday), there were probably three or four things I had to stop and explain what we're doing, why we're doing it." 

The other new members of the team are Ugonna Onyenso (Kentucky), Achor Achor (Samford), Max Jones (Cal State Fullerton), Baye Fall (Arkansas), Brendan Hausen (Villanova), C.J. Jones (Illinois-Chicago), Dug McDaniel (Michigan), Chimobi Ikegwuruka (Ellsworth CC), and David Castillo (HS recruit).

"If you have guys for a couple years, it's not something you have to really explain," Tang said. "There's some newness to it but then there's also some familiarity to it."

Despite the plethora of first-year Wildcats, fans should expect Tang to push them up to speed prior to the start of the season. K-State's season concluded with a Big 12 tournament quarterfinals loss to the Iowa State Cyclones.

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Anthony Pasciolla is a contributing writer to K-State On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.

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