NIL Has Helped K-State Coach Jerome Tang Attract National Recruits
The Kansas State basketball program has recently attracted some of the nation's top recruits.
It wasn't the case in the past until Wildcats coach Jerome Tang arrived. He said the addition of the NIL to NCAA sports has made a difference.
"NIL definitely helps," Tang said. "Our alumni have done a great job of helping step up to the plate and help Wildcat NIL. That's been real important, first of all, to getting guys. It's just part of the business right now."
The Wildcats are in contention for the 6-foot-9 A.J. Dybantsa, who averaged 22.6 points during the Elite Youth Basketball League. He is considered the No. 1 recruit for the 2025 class. Last month he visited Manahattan for the season opener against UT Martin.
Some are already projecting Dybantsa as a potential No. 1 in the NBA. According to ESPN's Paul Biancardi, the Wildcats made the final four for guard Darryn Peterson. The other three finalists are Kansas, Ohio State and USC.
The Wildcats are also in the mix for No. 3 recruit Darryn Peterson.
"We've always had a terrific product here," Tang said. "The fan base here is the best in the country. The league we play in is the best in the country. There are kids out there that value the family environment that we have here and the small-town feel, the college-town, being the pro sport in your town. That's appealing to a lot of kids out there."
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
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