The Best in the Nation
Apr 03, 2023 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
The King of New York occupies a black chair in front of a dark wood table in the team meeting room at the Ice Basketball Training Center. A white earbud driven into each ear, Markquis Nowell wears a black T-shirt and a gold necklace with a silver medallion and autographs a white script Wildcats jersey with a black Sharpie. It's Wednesday afternoon. He's in the middle of talking on one of two different sports radio talk shows, and he opens up a large envelope that contains a magazine, and then unfolds neatly-trimmed newspaper clippings that detailed his recent conquests.
There will be a time when this all sets in, how the 5-foot-7, 160-pound Nowell, the smallest player on the basketball court, achieved such big and wonderful things, particularly in the twilight of a career that featured third-team All-America honors. Yes, there will be a time when the cheers and applause will finally leave his ears, the roars from Greensboro, North Carolina, and those that shook Madison Square Garden in New York City, the Harlem native composing a story that seems destined for a book, a movie, or both. He'll never be seen the same again, not when visiting Rucker or Dyckman Park, and not when he returns home to see his family, and ambles along the same asphalt roads that the hard-nosed, gritty, young kid did when he dreamt of being the next Kemba Walker.
At the moment, he's lathered in the immediate aftermath, still less than one week removed from his valiant final game in Madison Square Garden, and things are slowly starting to slow down, yet not entirely, for every word sparks a memory, and the memory sparks another one, and on and on the brain crackles with adrenaline of the past moments — and the possible moments to come.
"I'm getting ready for some NBA workouts and NBA combine stuff, and I'm keeping myself in shape and healthy," he says, speaking into a cellphone that lays on the table. "When those NBA workouts do come, I want to be in tiptop shape."
The room grows quiet for about 30 seconds.
"Kansas State is in really good hands with Coach Tang and his coaches," Nowell says, speaking into the cellphone again. "The first part is family, the second part is winning, the third part is creating that culture. These guys understand what it takes to win now, and they want it. Being in the Elite Eight is something that'll definitely drive them next season."
Ten-second pause.
"Thank you for having me on your show."
Nowell pulls each earbud out and places them on the table. He wipes his eyes and scratches the left side of his beard. His appearances on the two sports radio shows runs a total of 27 minutes. He's a hot commodity. He's the hottest commodity in college basketball outside of the Final Four. He's the best story in college basketball, and he's definitely the best story in New York City, where locals said that he enjoyed one of the greatest two-game showings — college or pro — in the history of Madison Square Garden.
"THE KING OF NEW YORK," the back page of the New York Post beams.
"KING OF MANHATTAN," the back page of the New York Daily News shouts.
"Go see Coach Tang," the message read.
Nowell walked to Coach Tang's office in the west wing of the basketball facility, framed pictures of great K-State basketball moments and K-State greats decorating the hallway.
"Come here, man," Tang said.
"Did I do something?" Nowell asked. "Am I in trouble?"
"Yeah," Tang replied, looking away.
Associate head coach Ulric Maligi and assistant coach Rodney Perry entered the office behind Nowell. Perry carried a half-smile that was in sharp contrast to Tang's furrowed brow.
Tang finally rose from his chair and shouted, "YOU WON THE BOB COUSY AWARD!"
The Bob Cousy Award, given to the most outstanding point guard in Division I basketball, wouldn't officially be announced until Saturday. So Nowell had to sit on his latest life-altering news for three days until the official announcement at the Final Four in Houston, Texas.
"Just hearing that I'm the best point guard in the nation is crazy," he says. "It felt surreal to hear Coach Tang say that I'd won it. Winning that award is more of a confidence booster."
He pauses.
"I manifested it."
Nowell kept a photo of Bob Cousy and an NBA logo in his locker. He looked at both the Cousy picture and the NBA logo every single day.
"Manifestation is real," Nowell continues. "I always knew manifestation is real and I always knew God was real, but to see it happen in my reality — anything is possible. Anything is truly possible if you work hard at it long enough."
The list of former Cousy Award winners is legendary with names like Jameer Nelson, Dee Brown, D.J. Augustin, Ty Lawson, Kemba Walker, Frank Mason and Ja Morant.
"Yeah," Nowell says, "I had the Bob Cousy Award in my vision since I got to college."
Nowell is the first K-State player to win one of the positional awards annually given out by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Here's what he did: He averaged 17.6 points and 8.3 assists and 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 36.9 minutes per game. He either led or ranked in the top three in 13 different Big 12 Conference statistics. He did things this season that college basketball hadn't seen since Stephen Curry, Trae Young, Ja Morant, Rumeal Robinson and Dwyane Wade.
He was virtually unconscious in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 23.5 points, 13.5 assists and 4.0 steals during his four-game NCAA Tournament run. He had 20 points and a NCAA Tournament and school-record 19 assists in the overtime thriller against Michigan State in the Sweet 16. He had 30 points and 12 assists in the final game of his career against Florida Atlantic in the Elite Eight. He earned Most Outstanding Player honors for the NCAA East Regional.
"Definitely felt unconscious," he says. "I have to give a lot of credit to my pastor. Not a lot of people know that I spoke with my pastor before every game, and he just prayed on me for the game to slow down and for me to go out there and play with poise and confidence and just play better than I played the last game. That's what led me to have that unconsciousness and poise to go out there and perform at my highest level, because I knew it was bigger than me. It was about doing God's work.
"My pastor works miracles. He prayed or my brother for good health and for his wife to get the job she wanted and both of those things came true. Seeing my pastor, it became a routine. I just have to thank him."
Nowell put together the best NCAA Tournament by a player in K-State history. Celebrities such as Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Kevin Durant, Muggsy Bogues and Patrick Mahomes praised Nowell on social media for his eye-popping performances.
He pauses.
"It's crazy," he says. "It was just me being me. The love and support that I've received from people all over the world is just crazy to see. Everything is just better."
And now he prepares for the NBA.
"Super excited," he says. "I dreamt of this as a kid in Harlem, just putting on an NBA jersey and showing the world that I can impact the game at the highest level no matter the size. I knew that my will and my passion would set apart everything else. It's a blessing. It's a blessing."
So, too, was Nowell's two seasons at K-State — they were a blessing.
"I want K-State to remember the kid from Harlem, New York, and the kid who played with the most passion and who was the most excited and who loves K-State," he says. "I mean, I had an opportunity to leave, and I didn't leave because of how much K-State meant to me. It's the people and the atmosphere.
"Man, I wanted to do everything possible to put K-State back on the map and on the winning side of things. I feel like I maximized and took advantage of every opportunity here for K-State. To see us getting the glory and praise and acknowledgement that we deserve is a blessing. It's everything."
K-State will be back. Nowell will be watching. He also understands that he made an impression upon young players across the nation. They watched him. And now they're inspired.
Somewhere in America, young kids want to be the next Markquis Nowell.
"I want to tell them to keep working hard and to continue to keep putting God first," he says. "Kemba Walker inspired me. He's from New York and he came from a similar background like me, and I know how much that meant to me during those times. I'm just glad I can inspire a new generation of young kids because I feel like that's the highest human act you can possibly have and that's to inspire people because it goes beyond your physical body. It can go on for years and decades.
"That's what Kemba Walker did for me."
He pauses.
"I'm glad," he says, "that I can do that for somebody else."
The King of New York occupies a black chair in front of a dark wood table in the team meeting room at the Ice Basketball Training Center. A white earbud driven into each ear, Markquis Nowell wears a black T-shirt and a gold necklace with a silver medallion and autographs a white script Wildcats jersey with a black Sharpie. It's Wednesday afternoon. He's in the middle of talking on one of two different sports radio talk shows, and he opens up a large envelope that contains a magazine, and then unfolds neatly-trimmed newspaper clippings that detailed his recent conquests.
There will be a time when this all sets in, how the 5-foot-7, 160-pound Nowell, the smallest player on the basketball court, achieved such big and wonderful things, particularly in the twilight of a career that featured third-team All-America honors. Yes, there will be a time when the cheers and applause will finally leave his ears, the roars from Greensboro, North Carolina, and those that shook Madison Square Garden in New York City, the Harlem native composing a story that seems destined for a book, a movie, or both. He'll never be seen the same again, not when visiting Rucker or Dyckman Park, and not when he returns home to see his family, and ambles along the same asphalt roads that the hard-nosed, gritty, young kid did when he dreamt of being the next Kemba Walker.
At the moment, he's lathered in the immediate aftermath, still less than one week removed from his valiant final game in Madison Square Garden, and things are slowly starting to slow down, yet not entirely, for every word sparks a memory, and the memory sparks another one, and on and on the brain crackles with adrenaline of the past moments — and the possible moments to come.
"I'm getting ready for some NBA workouts and NBA combine stuff, and I'm keeping myself in shape and healthy," he says, speaking into a cellphone that lays on the table. "When those NBA workouts do come, I want to be in tiptop shape."
The room grows quiet for about 30 seconds.
"Kansas State is in really good hands with Coach Tang and his coaches," Nowell says, speaking into the cellphone again. "The first part is family, the second part is winning, the third part is creating that culture. These guys understand what it takes to win now, and they want it. Being in the Elite Eight is something that'll definitely drive them next season."
Ten-second pause.
"Thank you for having me on your show."
Nowell pulls each earbud out and places them on the table. He wipes his eyes and scratches the left side of his beard. His appearances on the two sports radio shows runs a total of 27 minutes. He's a hot commodity. He's the hottest commodity in college basketball outside of the Final Four. He's the best story in college basketball, and he's definitely the best story in New York City, where locals said that he enjoyed one of the greatest two-game showings — college or pro — in the history of Madison Square Garden.
"THE KING OF NEW YORK," the back page of the New York Post beams.
"KING OF MANHATTAN," the back page of the New York Daily News shouts.
But here's a part of the story that Nowell left out of the radio interviews: Less than 48 hours after he returned to Manhattan from the Elite Eight, he received a text message. The text message instructed him to meet K-State head coach Jerome Tang in his office. Usually the text messages entailed a reason for the visit. This text message offered no explanation.How do you like them Apples? 🍎#Big12MBB X #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/SwpY9Dw3TP
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) March 24, 2023
"Go see Coach Tang," the message read.
Nowell walked to Coach Tang's office in the west wing of the basketball facility, framed pictures of great K-State basketball moments and K-State greats decorating the hallway.
"Come here, man," Tang said.
"Did I do something?" Nowell asked. "Am I in trouble?"
"Yeah," Tang replied, looking away.
Associate head coach Ulric Maligi and assistant coach Rodney Perry entered the office behind Nowell. Perry carried a half-smile that was in sharp contrast to Tang's furrowed brow.
Tang finally rose from his chair and shouted, "YOU WON THE BOB COUSY AWARD!"
The Bob Cousy Award, given to the most outstanding point guard in Division I basketball, wouldn't officially be announced until Saturday. So Nowell had to sit on his latest life-altering news for three days until the official announcement at the Final Four in Houston, Texas.
Nowell flashes back to present Wednesday afternoon, sitting with a visitor in the team meeting room, as he folds a press clipping on the table.King of the Court 👑 | @MrNewYorkCityy
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) April 1, 2023
📄 https://t.co/Aa0ubzVhU7#KStateMBB x @hoophallu pic.twitter.com/YZZOVFaucK
"Just hearing that I'm the best point guard in the nation is crazy," he says. "It felt surreal to hear Coach Tang say that I'd won it. Winning that award is more of a confidence booster."
He pauses.
"I manifested it."
Nowell kept a photo of Bob Cousy and an NBA logo in his locker. He looked at both the Cousy picture and the NBA logo every single day.
"Manifestation is real," Nowell continues. "I always knew manifestation is real and I always knew God was real, but to see it happen in my reality — anything is possible. Anything is truly possible if you work hard at it long enough."
The list of former Cousy Award winners is legendary with names like Jameer Nelson, Dee Brown, D.J. Augustin, Ty Lawson, Kemba Walker, Frank Mason and Ja Morant.
"Yeah," Nowell says, "I had the Bob Cousy Award in my vision since I got to college."
Nowell is the first K-State player to win one of the positional awards annually given out by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Here's what he did: He averaged 17.6 points and 8.3 assists and 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 36.9 minutes per game. He either led or ranked in the top three in 13 different Big 12 Conference statistics. He did things this season that college basketball hadn't seen since Stephen Curry, Trae Young, Ja Morant, Rumeal Robinson and Dwyane Wade.
He was virtually unconscious in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 23.5 points, 13.5 assists and 4.0 steals during his four-game NCAA Tournament run. He had 20 points and a NCAA Tournament and school-record 19 assists in the overtime thriller against Michigan State in the Sweet 16. He had 30 points and 12 assists in the final game of his career against Florida Atlantic in the Elite Eight. He earned Most Outstanding Player honors for the NCAA East Regional.
"Definitely felt unconscious," he says. "I have to give a lot of credit to my pastor. Not a lot of people know that I spoke with my pastor before every game, and he just prayed on me for the game to slow down and for me to go out there and play with poise and confidence and just play better than I played the last game. That's what led me to have that unconsciousness and poise to go out there and perform at my highest level, because I knew it was bigger than me. It was about doing God's work.
"My pastor works miracles. He prayed or my brother for good health and for his wife to get the job she wanted and both of those things came true. Seeing my pastor, it became a routine. I just have to thank him."
Nowell put together the best NCAA Tournament by a player in K-State history. Celebrities such as Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Kevin Durant, Muggsy Bogues and Patrick Mahomes praised Nowell on social media for his eye-popping performances.
"Man, it was really special," he says. "I mean, it changed my life. I hear a lot of people saying that March Madness changes people's lives, and I never understood it. I saw guys like Kemba Walker and Stephen Curry show out in those moments, but you never understand it until it happens to you. It transformed my life into something better and greatest and it's just a testament to God."EVERYBODY is talking about Markquis Nowell 🔥#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/e0hFZ99E0c
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 24, 2023
He pauses.
"It's crazy," he says. "It was just me being me. The love and support that I've received from people all over the world is just crazy to see. Everything is just better."
And now he prepares for the NBA.
"Super excited," he says. "I dreamt of this as a kid in Harlem, just putting on an NBA jersey and showing the world that I can impact the game at the highest level no matter the size. I knew that my will and my passion would set apart everything else. It's a blessing. It's a blessing."
So, too, was Nowell's two seasons at K-State — they were a blessing.
"I want K-State to remember the kid from Harlem, New York, and the kid who played with the most passion and who was the most excited and who loves K-State," he says. "I mean, I had an opportunity to leave, and I didn't leave because of how much K-State meant to me. It's the people and the atmosphere.
"Man, I wanted to do everything possible to put K-State back on the map and on the winning side of things. I feel like I maximized and took advantage of every opportunity here for K-State. To see us getting the glory and praise and acknowledgement that we deserve is a blessing. It's everything."
K-State will be back. Nowell will be watching. He also understands that he made an impression upon young players across the nation. They watched him. And now they're inspired.
Somewhere in America, young kids want to be the next Markquis Nowell.
"I want to tell them to keep working hard and to continue to keep putting God first," he says. "Kemba Walker inspired me. He's from New York and he came from a similar background like me, and I know how much that meant to me during those times. I'm just glad I can inspire a new generation of young kids because I feel like that's the highest human act you can possibly have and that's to inspire people because it goes beyond your physical body. It can go on for years and decades.
"That's what Kemba Walker did for me."
He pauses.
"I'm glad," he says, "that I can do that for somebody else."
Players Mentioned
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