K-State Wildcats lose first basketball player to transfer portal this offseason
It took longer than many expected, but the Kansas State men’s basketball team has sustained its first loss to the transfer portal of the current recruiting cycle.
Macaleab Rich, an athletic wing who played sparingly as a sophomore this past season, announced plans to leave the Wildcats and search for a new team on Thursday.
His departure does not come as a surprise.
Rich was viewed as the most likely transfer candidate on the entire K-State roster after coach Jerome Tang removed him from the rotation midway through the 2024-25 season. Rich only played in two of the team’s final 19 games.
Still, he will be missed by some fans. Rich was a crowd favorite during his two years in Manhattan for his ability to score around the basket, often with jaw-dropping dunks.
Rich averaged 5.9 points and 2.2 rebounds while playing in 13 games. He didn’t have many big outings for the Wildcats, but when he did they were memorable.
His best game came on the road against Wichita State when he drained three 3-pointers on his way to a team high 19 points. Unfortunately for his sake, the Wildcats lost that game 84-65. Rich also scored eight points in games against Mississippi Valley State, Longwood and TCU.
But his minutes dried up after a few conference games. He found his way into Tang’s proverbial doghouse for several reasons and never managed to work his way out.
Now, Rich will look for a new opportunity elsewhere.
His departure gives K-State an extra scholarship to recruit with heading into the 2025-26 season. As of now, the Wildcats are set to lose Rich along with outgoing seniors David N’Guessan and Coleman Hawkins. But other players can still join Rich in the portal as long as the transfer window remains open this month.
This story was originally published April 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM with the headline "K-State Wildcats lose first basketball player to transfer portal this offseason."