Immersing Themselves in K-State Traditions

By: D. Scott Fritchen

Jerome Tang goes on campus and discusses life with Kansas State students on a couch, he says "It's a great day to be a Wildcat" too many times to count, he plays ping-pong with his players, and pauses a meeting to sing happy birthday to a member of his coaching staff.

Last Thursday, the first-year Kansas State men's basketball coach gathered his team, including 13 newcomers, to teach them the words to the K-State fight song and the alma mater before heading to Memorial Stadium to hand out popsicles to members of the K-State marching band.

Best band in the land#KStateMBB x @KStatePride pic.twitter.com/w3vUkEN0Ni
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) September 2, 2022

At every turn, Tang is immersing himself and his new Wildcats team into K-State tradition. There's a method to his meticulousness. He believes it'll pay off by the time K-State plays its first and only exhibition game against Washburn on November 1.

"I'm looking to go 1-0 today at 5 p.m. to see our guys really put all 10 toes in and their whole heart into Kansas State University and this K-State family and community and all the traditions, and to be really, really bought in," Tang said. "If we can buy into all those things, we're going to be all right on November 1."

K-State officially begins practice on September 26. Currently, players are practicing with coaches 45 minutes per day, five days a week, and are entrenched in strength training four days a week.

However, Tang is pleased with what the players are doing on their own, as well.

"They've elevated their work ethic," he said. "Every coach in America is given the same number of coaching staff and time that we get to work with our guys. Our goal is to teach them how to work when we're not around. They're spending a lot of time in the gym working on their game. They're spending time in recovery and are getting in extra lifts. Their body weight is improving and they're gaining the right kind of weight. You have to be really focused and really diligent to do that.

"I just see a group of guys that really are taking their craft seriously and are learning how to be professionals in the venue that they've chosen to try and pursue a career."

Tang, who was hired as K-State head coach in March and hit the ground running in assembling his squad, gave his coaching staff two weeks off for vacation in August. Tang and his family went to Las Vegas and Cabo San Lucas. It was a much-needed step back after an arduous journey for the former 19-year assistant coach at Baylor, whose mantra is to elevate the Wildcats' basketball program.

"The vacation was great, and I needed it," Tang said. "I hadn't looked so forward to a vacation in a long time. I'm a guy who prides himself in not being tired, but after those first five months, I was tired.

"I'm refreshed now. I'm excited about this team. I'm excited to be back."

As for the first order of business when Tang returned to Manhattan?

He wanted to secure the services of Keyontae Johnson.

Johnson is a 6-foot-6, 230-pound forward who was the preseason SEC player of the year in 2020-21 after an impressive sophomore campaign in which he averaged 14.0 points and 7.1 rebounds. Aside from a brief ceremonial moment on Senior Day, Johnson hasn't played in a game since December 12, 2020, when he collapsed on the court reportedly due to heart inflammation — an episode that drew national attention.

Johnson, who announced that he would join K-State as a graduate transfer on August 20, had been a top target by the Wildcats since Tang became head coach. Johnson's announcement to join K-State also drew national attention.

"Keyontae is a very conscientious kid," Tang said. "I mean, he's one of those guys that says, 'thank you,' that sees somebody needs help and goes out of his way to help them, and he's just a really great teammate. He communicates with people and has a real maturity to him with how he can say things to guys, and they get it without being offended. He has some terrific leadership skills.

"Before his episode, he was Preseason SEC Player of the Year, so he's a talent. Our goal is to help him get back to that level. It's going to take a little bit but he's going to get there."

Johnson isn't the only player on the team that has demonstrated some leadership capabilities.

"I see a collective leadership," Tang said. "It's not like one person is pulling everyone else along. We have a group of guys who are helping each other move along down the path. What I love about these guys is I see a group together. I don't see two guys here, and two over there. They're moving together in the right direction."

Here's Tang's take on the Wildcats' position groups:

Guards: "Right now, Markquis Nowell and Cam Carter are carrying the bulk of the load as the guards. There's been a lot placed on their shoulders, and they very rarely get to compete together, and from a coaching point of view it's interesting to see how each one of them is handling the adversity that they go through as the primary ball handler. When we have the opportunity to put them both together, I think it's going to be pretty dynamic, what can happen. They're terrific competitors. Our fans are really going to like that about them."

Forwards: "We have a variety of forwards that can do a bunch of different things. Ishmael Massoud can really shoot the ball, David N'Guessan is a slasher and can get to the rim. Nae'Qwan Tomlin, I don't know if you can identify one position for him, because he dribbles like a guard, and can shoot it, and finish at the rim. He's 6-9 with a 7-foot wingspan. All those guys have had their flashes."

Centers: "Right now, Baybe (Abayomi Iyiola) and Jerrell Colbert are holding it down. There's something to say that we could slide Ish or David to the five and play small and just be very, very versatile. We're trying not to pigeonhole anybody into a position. We're trying to be position-less, but Baybe and Jerrell are two guys who man the middle and they're the ball-screen rollers and we expect a lot from them in the middle."

As for the biggest surprise so far?

"Taj Manning has been really good," Tang said. "He's got a body that's ready for college basketball, his work ethic has been incredible. I've been really surprised with how diligent he has been working at his game with his production in practice every day. We initially thought Taj and Dorian Finister were coming into the redshirt and get a year under their belt to be ready, but Taj, every day, is causing us to rethink that."

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Cam Carter

Jerrell Colbert

Dorian Finister

Abayomi Iyiola

Keyontae Johnson

Taj Manning

David N'Guessan

Markquis Nowell

Nae'Qwan Tomlin

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