K-State Insistent on Writing Its Own Story
Oct 20, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
The journey began before the first glint of sunlight touched native grassland of the Flint Hills, and the journey paused inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, then the journey steered its way back the Little Apple beneath a setting sun on Wednesday before an evening practice.
For several hours, Kansas State first-year head coach Jerome Tang, and players Markquis Nowell, Keyontae Johnson and Nae'Qwan Tomlin stood and sat at Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Day at the T-Mobile Center, and discussed themselves, their team, and this grand opportunity ahead of them as they prepare for the 2022-23 season.
By all accounts this has the potential makings of an underdog story unlike any other in K-State basketball history, how these Wildcats were picked 10th in the Big 12 Conference preseason poll — a disregarded team in arguably the nation's most powerful league, a group of let's-get-after-it workers with lunch pails and blue collars, and carrying an insatiable desire to prove their fans right and naysayers wrong amid a battle for league respect.
And how will it twist and turn — this boundless journey into the unknown? And what will become of this team — these players so unabashed about their goals and desires and so seemingly driven to make the most of every moment of every day? And how will it end — the Wildcats and this quest for victory now and today while many other newly-led programs paddle through opposing currents in hopes of reaching a foothold?
"We're not here to rebuild," Johnson said. "We're here to make an impact the first year."
Less than 24 hours after K-State was picked 10th in the league's preseason poll for the 2022-23 season, printed copies of the poll swept their way into the locker room. They were plastered across a flatscreen TV, and taped above lockers — an unsettling reminder that the Wildcats embark upon the first turn of their journey absent of outside support, yet locked arm in arm for a classic us-against-the-world tussle.
"It's a motivating factor for all of us just knowing how we've all been doubted all our lives," Johnson said. "Everybody on our team has similar life stories. We learned about each other recently. Just seeing (the poll) motivates us to practice even harder knowing that teams expect us to be the bottom of the conference.
"We always say, 'Win the day.' When we win that day, it'll help us go into a game."
Soon after Tang was hired by the school on March 21, the former 19-year Baylor assistant coach began solidifying his coaching staff and assembling his initial squad. In seven months, he has entrenched himself in K-State tradition and wearing his purple quarter-zip with a Powercat logo he traveled from room to room during interview sessions on Wednesday revisiting his decision to set up shop in Manhattan.
"It's in the best league in America," Tang said. "The predictor of future success is past success. We're one of only three schools in the league that's won two Big 12 Championships in the last 10 years. We have great history and arguably the best fan base in the country. I mean, they are so passionate about K-State and K-State Athletics and K-State Basketball.
"It's just a blast to be around."
As for the Big 12 preseason poll reminders posted around the locker room?
"I hope the motivation comes from internally and not from what people say externally," Tang said, "but it does put a little chip on the shoulder when they come out to practice the next day."
Motivation seemingly comes from every step, as K-State continues to battle daily before its exhibition game against Washburn on November 1 and regular season-opener against UTRGV on November 7 at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats open their first Big 12 season under Tang against West Virginia on December 31.
"(The poll) definitely adds a little chip on our shoulder," Nowell said. "Being picked last is never a good thing, but we know that that's not true. The only way from the bottom is to go up. That's how we approach it every day. We work our tails off and try to win every day so when the Big 12 play comes around we'll shock some teams."
By all accounts, Nowell is that senior point guard who provides energy and playmaking for the squad. The 5-foot-8, 160-pound native of Harlem, New York, is a dribbler, facilitator and harbors a mean 3-point shot. He and junior forward Ishmael Massoud, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound native of East Harlem, New York, were the lone two holdovers from a K-State team that finished 14-17 overall and 6-12 in the Big 12 a year ago.
"What a difference a year makes — just looking back on how far I've come," Nowell said. "Two years ago, I didn't know I'd be in this position. I'm just grateful for this moment and situation."
Johnson is grateful as well. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound forward is two years removed from his last action in a college basketball uniform. Johnson, a native of Norfolk, Virginia, was 2020-21 Preseason SEC Player of the Year at Florida before a medical emergency on December 12, 2020 sidelined him the remainder of his junior year.
Upon entering the transfer portal following graduation last season, Johnson quickly bought into the mindset shared by Tang and his players and decided to become a Wildcat.
"The whole team has the same mindset," Johnson said. "We want the same goals. That's a reason why K-State stood out to me. Just talking to some of the players, we all want to win the Big 12 and go to the NCAA Tournament. That's what I'm trying to do this year."
Tomlin is grateful as well. The 6-foot-10, 210-pound forward out of Harlem didn't play high school basketball but possessed talents that led him to success at Monroe (N.Y.) Community College and Chipola (Fla.) College before joining the Wildcats.
"It's an honor to be with these guys," Tomlin said. "Markquis brings a lot of energy and a bunch of leadership. He's probably one of the best point guards you can ask for as far as how he works and does things on and off the court.
"Keyontae? What is he not going to bring to the table? That's the real question. Keyontae is a guy who can go on the court and get you a bucket whenever and score whenever and play defense and he's strong and physical and athletic.
"The question is: What can't he do?"
For now, there is no concrete starting lineup. Tang describes the team as being "tough, gritty and fast." The team's latest addition, 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior guard Desi Sills from Arkansas (2018-21) and Arkansas State (2021-22), has scored more than 1,100 points in his college career and could be a key cog for the Wildcats this season. He was a part of Arkansas's Elite Eight team in 2020-21.
"Desi is a competitor and he knows what it takes to win," Tang said. "He's won his whole life. He's going to be fine. He brings an edge, period — defensively, offensively, and in his approach. I have a clip of him running the lane in transition that I'm going to show to the team, 'Watch this dude run.' He just has a different approach about him."
For lesser squads the Big 12 Media Day could've been about what they can't do as they accept their preseason plight and flutter into mediocrity. K-State has taken a different approach. Wednesday's event became about what the Wildcats could do this season, which stems from the unflappable belief of their indomitable head coach.
"The biggest difference is that this year is more intentional about winning," Nowell said. "Not to say Coach Bruce Weber wasn't about winning, he's a great coach, but it's probably a little more enhanced in everything we do, from sleeping to eating, from waking up and praying — every single thing that we do is about winning."
And, oh, what a journey it could be in 2022-23.
The journey began before the first glint of sunlight touched native grassland of the Flint Hills, and the journey paused inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, then the journey steered its way back the Little Apple beneath a setting sun on Wednesday before an evening practice.
For several hours, Kansas State first-year head coach Jerome Tang, and players Markquis Nowell, Keyontae Johnson and Nae'Qwan Tomlin stood and sat at Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Day at the T-Mobile Center, and discussed themselves, their team, and this grand opportunity ahead of them as they prepare for the 2022-23 season.
By all accounts this has the potential makings of an underdog story unlike any other in K-State basketball history, how these Wildcats were picked 10th in the Big 12 Conference preseason poll — a disregarded team in arguably the nation's most powerful league, a group of let's-get-after-it workers with lunch pails and blue collars, and carrying an insatiable desire to prove their fans right and naysayers wrong amid a battle for league respect.
And how will it twist and turn — this boundless journey into the unknown? And what will become of this team — these players so unabashed about their goals and desires and so seemingly driven to make the most of every moment of every day? And how will it end — the Wildcats and this quest for victory now and today while many other newly-led programs paddle through opposing currents in hopes of reaching a foothold?
"We're not here to rebuild," Johnson said. "We're here to make an impact the first year."
Less than 24 hours after K-State was picked 10th in the league's preseason poll for the 2022-23 season, printed copies of the poll swept their way into the locker room. They were plastered across a flatscreen TV, and taped above lockers — an unsettling reminder that the Wildcats embark upon the first turn of their journey absent of outside support, yet locked arm in arm for a classic us-against-the-world tussle.
"It's a motivating factor for all of us just knowing how we've all been doubted all our lives," Johnson said. "Everybody on our team has similar life stories. We learned about each other recently. Just seeing (the poll) motivates us to practice even harder knowing that teams expect us to be the bottom of the conference.
"We always say, 'Win the day.' When we win that day, it'll help us go into a game."
Soon after Tang was hired by the school on March 21, the former 19-year Baylor assistant coach began solidifying his coaching staff and assembling his initial squad. In seven months, he has entrenched himself in K-State tradition and wearing his purple quarter-zip with a Powercat logo he traveled from room to room during interview sessions on Wednesday revisiting his decision to set up shop in Manhattan.
"It's in the best league in America," Tang said. "The predictor of future success is past success. We're one of only three schools in the league that's won two Big 12 Championships in the last 10 years. We have great history and arguably the best fan base in the country. I mean, they are so passionate about K-State and K-State Athletics and K-State Basketball.
"It's just a blast to be around."
As for the Big 12 preseason poll reminders posted around the locker room?
"I hope the motivation comes from internally and not from what people say externally," Tang said, "but it does put a little chip on the shoulder when they come out to practice the next day."
Motivation seemingly comes from every step, as K-State continues to battle daily before its exhibition game against Washburn on November 1 and regular season-opener against UTRGV on November 7 at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats open their first Big 12 season under Tang against West Virginia on December 31.
"(The poll) definitely adds a little chip on our shoulder," Nowell said. "Being picked last is never a good thing, but we know that that's not true. The only way from the bottom is to go up. That's how we approach it every day. We work our tails off and try to win every day so when the Big 12 play comes around we'll shock some teams."
By all accounts, Nowell is that senior point guard who provides energy and playmaking for the squad. The 5-foot-8, 160-pound native of Harlem, New York, is a dribbler, facilitator and harbors a mean 3-point shot. He and junior forward Ishmael Massoud, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound native of East Harlem, New York, were the lone two holdovers from a K-State team that finished 14-17 overall and 6-12 in the Big 12 a year ago.
"What a difference a year makes — just looking back on how far I've come," Nowell said. "Two years ago, I didn't know I'd be in this position. I'm just grateful for this moment and situation."
Johnson is grateful as well. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound forward is two years removed from his last action in a college basketball uniform. Johnson, a native of Norfolk, Virginia, was 2020-21 Preseason SEC Player of the Year at Florida before a medical emergency on December 12, 2020 sidelined him the remainder of his junior year.
Upon entering the transfer portal following graduation last season, Johnson quickly bought into the mindset shared by Tang and his players and decided to become a Wildcat.
"The whole team has the same mindset," Johnson said. "We want the same goals. That's a reason why K-State stood out to me. Just talking to some of the players, we all want to win the Big 12 and go to the NCAA Tournament. That's what I'm trying to do this year."
Tomlin is grateful as well. The 6-foot-10, 210-pound forward out of Harlem didn't play high school basketball but possessed talents that led him to success at Monroe (N.Y.) Community College and Chipola (Fla.) College before joining the Wildcats.
"It's an honor to be with these guys," Tomlin said. "Markquis brings a lot of energy and a bunch of leadership. He's probably one of the best point guards you can ask for as far as how he works and does things on and off the court.
"Keyontae? What is he not going to bring to the table? That's the real question. Keyontae is a guy who can go on the court and get you a bucket whenever and score whenever and play defense and he's strong and physical and athletic.
"The question is: What can't he do?"
For now, there is no concrete starting lineup. Tang describes the team as being "tough, gritty and fast." The team's latest addition, 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior guard Desi Sills from Arkansas (2018-21) and Arkansas State (2021-22), has scored more than 1,100 points in his college career and could be a key cog for the Wildcats this season. He was a part of Arkansas's Elite Eight team in 2020-21.
"Desi is a competitor and he knows what it takes to win," Tang said. "He's won his whole life. He's going to be fine. He brings an edge, period — defensively, offensively, and in his approach. I have a clip of him running the lane in transition that I'm going to show to the team, 'Watch this dude run.' He just has a different approach about him."
For lesser squads the Big 12 Media Day could've been about what they can't do as they accept their preseason plight and flutter into mediocrity. K-State has taken a different approach. Wednesday's event became about what the Wildcats could do this season, which stems from the unflappable belief of their indomitable head coach.
"The biggest difference is that this year is more intentional about winning," Nowell said. "Not to say Coach Bruce Weber wasn't about winning, he's a great coach, but it's probably a little more enhanced in everything we do, from sleeping to eating, from waking up and praying — every single thing that we do is about winning."
And, oh, what a journey it could be in 2022-23.
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