Kansas State missed the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, finishing 12-20 (3-15 in Big 12) during the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season.
The lackluster performance led to the firing of head coach Jerome Tang, who was dismissed after going 10-15 in the first 25 games. Matthew Driscoll served as interim head coach for the final seven games, finishing 2-5.
After a string of unsuccessful seasons, Kansas State aims to rebound in 2026-27 by hiring Casey Alexander as its 27th head coach. The former Belmont coach signed a five-year, $17-million deal with the Wildcats, who hope to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since their 2023 Elite Eight run.
Kansas State Wildcats’ 2026 Transfer Portal Tracker
As he assembles his roster for the upcoming season, Alexander faces a significant transition.
He has brought in a relatively new squad, including 10 incoming transfers and two high school prospects, to join the lone returning player from last season’s roster. Alexander replaces nine former Wildcats stalwarts who entered the transfer portal and four others who graduated after last season.
Bringing significant experience to the role, the 53-year-old Chattanooga, Tennessee, native arrives at Kansas State with a 303-180 record over 15 seasons as head coach at Stetson, Lipscomb, and Belmont. During his final season at Belmont, he led the team to a 26-6 record, offering optimism as Kansas State looks to build a new era under his leadership.
With the transfer portal window closing on April 21, here are the players who will not return next season.
Confirmed Departures
- Nate Johnson – Exhausted Eligibility
- Khamari McGriff – Exhausted Eligibility
- CJ Jones – Exhausted Eligibility
- Marcus Johnson – Exhausted Eligibility
- Elias Rapieque – Committed to Loyola Chicago
- Taj Manning – Committed to Iowa State
- P.J. Haggerty – Committed to Texas A&M
- David Castillo – Committed to Santa Clara
- Exavier Wilson – Committed to Akron
Nate Johnson was Kansas State’s third-leading scorer, averaging 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.2 steals in 32 games this past season. The 6’3″ Akron transfer shot 44.7% from the field, including 40.8% from beyond the arc.
McGriff appeared in 28 games for the Wildcats this past season, averaging 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. He shot 68.1% from the field and 66.7% from the foul line.
Jones, a 6’5″ guard from East St. Louis, Illinois, appeared in 31 games and averaged 3.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, and 1.3 apg this past season. He shot 31.1% from the field and 83.3% from the foul line.
Marcus Johnson played 14 games, averaging 2.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per game. The 6’7″ forward shot 32.4% and made 66.7% of his free-throw attempts.
Rapieque suited up for 20 games this past season and started in non-conference games for Kansas State before an injury limited his appearances in the latter part of the year. He averaged 3.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game on 46% shooting. He entered the portal on April 20 and committed to the Ramblers on April 25.
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Manning played in 30 games for Kansas State this past season, averaging 4.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 48.5%. The 6’7″ forward entered the transfer portal on April 7 and committed to Iowa State four days later.
Haggerty was the Wildcats’ leading scorer, averaging 23.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 35.2 minutes per game. The 6’4″ Memphis transfer shot 48.9% from the field and earned honorable mention on The Associated Press All-America team this past season. He committed to Texas A&M on April 10.
Castillo, a 6’1″ guard from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, played in 32 games for the Wildcats, averaging 10.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, shooting 40.0% overall, including 35.2% from long range. Castillo committed to Santa Clara on April 22.
Wilson, a three-star prospect, redshirted his freshman year at Manhattan. The 6’1″ guard committed to Akron on April 16.
Players Leaving in the Transfer Portal
- Dorin Buca
- Abdi Bashir Jr.
- Mobi Ikegwuruka
- Stephen Osei
Buca appeared in 27 games for Kansas State, averaging 3.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, and 1.3 bpg. The 7’2″ center entered the transfer portal on April 11 and has one year of eligibility remaining.
Bashir served as the Wildcats’ top sniper before a season-ending foot fracture cut short his junior year. The 6’7″ guard started in all 18 games, averaging 13.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, and shot 42.1% overall, including 44.4% from beyond the arc. He entered the transfer portal on April 7.
Ikegwuruka played 10 games for Kansas State before missing the rest of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season due to a personal matter. The 6’6″ guard averaged 1.9 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. He entered the transfer portal on April 9.
Osei, a 6’10” forward, played 3 games for the Wildcats before redshirting the rest of the season. This past season, he averaged 0.7 points and 1.0 rebounds per game. He entered the portal on April 7.
Expected To Return
Kostic played in 23 games as a freshman, averaging 5.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 37.7% from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range. The 6’6″ Serbian forward announced on April 6 via social media that he plans to stay at Kansas State.
Incoming Transfer Players
- Pape N’Diaye (from Xavier)
- Timotej Malovec (from Miami)
- Montana Wheeler (from Bradley)
- Isaiah Abraham (from Georgetown)
- Matt Gilhool (from LSU)
- JT Rock (from New Mexico)
- Jaden Schutt (from Virginia Tech)
- Dezdrick Lindsay (from Oregon)
- Brandon Rechsteiner (from Colorado State)
- Brock Vice (from Murray State)
N’Diaye signed with K-State on April 25, after appearing in 29 games for Xavier during the 2025-26 season. The 7’0″ big man averaged 2.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game as a Musketeers reserve.
Malovec averaged 4.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 33 games for Miami this past season. The 6’8″ forward, born in Bratislava, Slovakia, shot 35% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. Malovec scored a season-high 16 points in the Hurricanes’ win over Southern Miss on December 6, 2025. He committed to Kansas State on April 21.
Wheeler, a 5’10” Bradley transfer guard, appeared in 34 games for the Braves, averaging 8.5 ppg, 1.1 rpg, and 2.8 apg. The Houston, Texas, native earned Missouri Valley All-Bench honors, set a program record with seven 3-pointers, and scored a career-high 22 points against Belmont on January 1. He committed to the Wildcats on April 16.
Abraham played in 33 games, starting 31, in his lone season at Georgetown. The 6’7″ forward averaged 4.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. The former top-75 high school prospect announced his commitment to K-State on April 14.
Gilhool, a 6’11” forward from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, redshirted his freshman year at LSU. The four-star prospect committed to Kansas State on April 14.
Rock is set to bolster Kansas State’s frontline after a strong 2025-26 season at New Mexico. The 7’1″ center averaged 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, shooting 54.5% from the field. Rock, who also played at Iowa State as a freshman, committed to the Wildcats on April 13.
Schutt, a 6’5″ guard from Virginia Tech, played in 32 games for the Hokies this past season. He averaged 7.7 points and 1.6 rebounds per game, shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc. He committed to Kansas State on April 13.
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Lindsay appeared in 32 games for Oregon this past season, averaging 5.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, and 1.5 apg, while shooting 40.3% from the field and 32.8% from 3-point range. The Louisville, Kentucky, native committed to the Wildcats on April 10.
Rechsteiner was the second transfer addition to Manhattan after playing for Colorado State this past season. The 6’1″ guard, who committed to K-State on April 10, averaged 12.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 45.1%.
Vice committed to Kansas State on April 8 after spending the 2025-26 season at Murray State. The 6’10” forward appeared in 30 games for the Racers, averaging 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds and shooting 61.1% from the field.
Incoming Freshmen
- Devin Hutcherson
- Jaylen Alexander
Hutcherson, a 6’4″ wing, is rated a top-250 prospect in the nation and the 33rd-ranked shooting guard in the Class of 2026. He was the first freshman commit at Manhattan under Alexander’s tutelage. He decommitted from Belmont after being granted a release from his National Letter of Intent.
Alexander, like Hutcherson, decommitted from Belmont to join Alexander. The 6’2″ guard is the No. 22-ranked point guard in the Class of 2026 and the No. 3-ranked player in Alabama.