Numerous transfer options starting to emerge for Jerome Tang and K-State basketball
The process of rebuilding Kansas State’s basketball roster is underway.
Jerome Tang has spent the past week taking baby steps toward next season by focusing on the NCAA transfer portal.
The K-State coach needs to find at least four new scholarship players during the offseason. The Wildcats are set to lose Tylor Perry, Will McNair and Taymont Lindsey to graduation. Cam Carter and Dorian Finister have both announced their plans to transfer. As of now, David Castillo is the team’s only incoming recruit.
It’s possible more players on the current K-State roster decide to transfer or turn pro, but, for now, no news is good news on that front.
Last season, Tang took a methodical approach to the transfer portal and waited all the way until early May to land his first impact transfer in the form of Perry. Arthur Kaluma and McNair waited even longer to choose the Wildcats. But K-State made it all the way to the Elite Eight last season. This year it was eliminated much earlier in the NIT.
Perhaps things will move more quickly during this transfer cycle. Or maybe they won’t.
In any case, here is a list at some of the players who have reportedly shown up on Tang’s transfer radar:
Deyton Albury, Queens
The 6-foot-2 junior guard did a little bit of everything at the mid-major level this season by averaging 17 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 36.4% from 3-point range.
K-State showed immediate interest after his named appeared in the transfer portal.
He reportedly has a recruiting visit setup with Loyola-Chicago this weekend. The Wildcats are one of the highest profile schools to reach out to him.
Vasean Allette, Old Dominion
Allette is a 6-foot-3 freshman guard who put impressive numbers for the Monarchs this season, as he averaged 17.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists during his first year of college basketball.
K-State was one of the first teams from a power conference to express interest in him, and it’s easy to see why. Many are interested in landing the Toronto native.
But he only played 19 games for Old Dominion before he was kicked off the team by an interim head coach for what he described as “conduct unbecoming of a Monarch.” Tang and his staff will need to look into that situation if things get serious.
Mikeal Brown-Jones, North Carolina-Greensboro
He is a 6-foot-8 and 220-pound senior who has one year remaining in college basketball.
He started out at VCU and then transferred to UNCG for the past two seasons. He was at his best this year, averaging 18.9 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Spartans.
That kind of production makes him a logical target for many schools. He could become a candidate to replace McNair down low for the Wildcats.
Malik Dia, Belmont
It appears as though Malik Dia would like to return to a power conference after he averaged 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds this season for Belmont.
He began his college basketball career at Vanderbilt and transferred to Belmont after a disappointing freshman campaign. But he is a candidate to play at a high level after finding his form at the mid-major level.
Many prominent schools have reportedly expressed interest in the 6-foot-9 forward, including Arkansas, Connecticut, Indiana and Texas.
Marcus Foster, Furman
What are the odds that K-State could land another guard named Marcus Foster?
The 6-foot-4 senior has spent his entire college basketball career at Furman and even helped the Paladins win a game in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. But he is looking for a new home after averaging 17 points and 7.5 rebounds this past season.
His size could make him an attractive target for the Wildcats as a perimeter player.
Brandon Garrison, Oklahoma State
A former 4-star recruit, this 6-foot-11 center has gotten lots of attention in the transfer portal already.
After playing against him this past season, several Big 12 teams have reached out to see if he would consider staying within the conference. K-State is interested because he averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds this season.
Garrison has room to develop and grow into a better player, as he is still young.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Belmont
This 6-foot-1 sophomore guard is looking for a new team after spending the past two seasons at Belmont.
Gillespie averaged 17.2 points, 4.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds this season. He also shot 38.7% from 3-point range.
Both Kansas and K-State reached out to Gillespie, but he has already made a recruiting visit to Maryland and seems to be favoring the Terrapins.
Camren Hunter, Central Arkansas
A 6-foot-3 junior guard, he put together two solid years at Central Arkansas before entering the transfer portal.
Hunter averaged 16.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists last year but sat out this past season with an injury. He only made 31.1% of his shots from 3-point range but he has lots of experience and has started in 60 straight games. Tang likes to recruit experienced guards out of the portal, and Hunter could be a good fit.
Mekhi Mason, Rice
This 6-foot-5 sophomore guard averaged 14 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Owls last season.
Many schools in the Lone Star State are interested in adding him as a transfer, but he also has heard from plenty of schools on the coasts. Arkansas, K-State, Maryland, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA and many others have reportedly targeted him already.
Dug McDaniel, Michigan
The sophomore from Washington, D.C. averaged 16.3 points and 4.7 assists this season for the Wolverines. He led the team in both of those statistical categories.
He is looking for a fresh start after starring for a bad Michigan team. He was oddly suspended for six road games this past season. Nevertheless, he is considered to be one of the top players in the transfer market.
Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers
Any school looking to add Omoruyi will likely have to offer a great opportunity to win next season, and an impressive NIL package.
Why? Because he is the top ranked transfer in the country, according to some experts.
He averaged 10.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks this season. He is an elite rim-protector who could make any defense better next season. As a senior, he will only have one year of eligibility remaining wherever he ends up.
K-State will have to compete with some blue bloods for him. Kansas, Kentucky, Connecticut, Villanova and Baylor have all shown interest.
JP Pegues, Furman
This is the 6-foot-1 guard who lifted Furman past Virginia in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament by hitting a dramatic last-second shot that ended up on “One Shining Moment.”
Tarris Reed, Michigan
A 6-foot-10 sophomore from St. Louis, he averaged close to a double-double for the Wolverines this past season while putting up 9.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
He could bring valuable production to any frontcourt next season.
K-State was one of more than a dozen teams to reach out to Reed after he entered the portal last week. The Wildcats have a connection to Harris through assistant Rodney Perry, who once coached Reed on the AAU circuit.
Amari Williams, Drexel
K-State could add some extra international flair to its frontcourt by landing Drexel big man Amari Williams.
The 6-foot-10 senior is originally from Nottingham, England.
He averaged 12.2 points and 7.8 points for the Dragons this past season. But his most valuable stat may have come on defense, where he averaged 1.8 blocks per game. The rim protector has been named Defensive Player of the Year three times in the CAA.
This story was originally published March 27, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Numerous transfer options starting to emerge for Jerome Tang and K-State basketball."