MANHATTAN — Jerome Tang is the first to admit that he wasn’t the best version of himself when coaching the Kansas State basketball team last year.
Rather than treating his athletes as if they were college students, he treated them like professionals. In a world of Name, Image and Likeness and revenue sharing, Tang said his approach of expectations without grace led to disappointment.
It led to a 16-17 season and a second consecutive year without an NCAA Tournament appearance.
“I was frustrated and disappointed a lot, and it reflected in how I taught the guys and how I cared for the guys,” Tang said. “It stopped me from being the best version I could’ve been last year.”
Practice ahead of the 2025-26 season has begun, and Tang will try to adjust to his 14-man roster, which features 10 newcomers and four returners.
Gone are the distractions of last year, including the one created by the reported $2 million NIL deal that Coleman Hawkins received from the school, only for him and the rest of the roster to crumble under the pressure of what was then one of the largest figures in college basketball.
Now, such figures are starting to become the norm across the sport, as not much has been made over reportedly larger deals to All-American transfer guard P.J. Haggerty and Serbian freshman Andrej Kostic, who are both reportedly receiving around $2.5 million.
“I think people get used to some things and they don’t become as big a deal,” Tang said. “I know for me as a coach, having gone through that, I have a different approach on how I handle some of those things.”
Kansas State hopes that approach will yield better results on the court, where its backcourt has a high ceiling with the high-scoring Haggerty, a Memphis transfer, and Kostic, who has garnered some early NBA Draft buzz.
Among other notable additions, the Wildcats have added Akron transfer Nate Johnson, who was the MAC’s Player and Defensive Player of the Year last season. Monmouth transfer Abdi Bashir Jr. led the nation in 3-pointers last season, and Bowling Green transfer Marcus Johnson was among the top scorers in the MAC.
Early speculation by national pundits has labeled Kansas State as a potential breakout team this season. It’s up to Tang’s new approach to get it there.
“If I’m not at my best, then it trickles down to everybody else,” Tang said. “I’m excited about this group and I’m really, really looking forward to seeing how good we can become, and how quickly we can become at the level that I think we’re capable of.”
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@gannett.com
