Alexander Adds Wheeler to Backcourt for 2026-27
Apr 28, 2026 | Men's Basketball
The 5-foot-10 point guard spent his freshman year at Bradley in 2025-26.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – First-year head coach Casey Alexander made another addition to his roster for the 2026-27 men's basketball season with the signing of transfer Montana Wheeler (Houston, Texas/Xavier Academy/Bradley) on Tuesday (April 28).
A 5-foot-10, 170-pound guard originally from Houston, Wheeler spent the past season playing for head coach Brian Wardle at Bradley, where as a true freshman he played in all 34 games for a Braves' squad that posted a 21-13 record and advanced to the first round of the NIT. He was named to the Missouri Valley's All-Bench Team after ranking second on the team in assists (96), third in 3-point field goals (35) and fourth in scoring (8.5 ppg.) despite not starting a game.
The first-year coach witnessed Wheeler's impressive play firsthand, as Wheeler scored a career-high 22 points while setting the Bradley single-game record for 3-pointers (7) in 88-78 loss to Alexander's Belmont squad on New Year's Day. He scored in double figures in 10 other games, including 19 at Indiana State on Dec. 18, 18 vs. Valparaiso on Feb. 3 and 17 at Evansville on Jan. 13.
In addition to his school-record 7 3-pointers vs. Belmont, Wheeler had multiple treys in seven other games, including 4 vs. Princeton on Nov. 24. He also dished out 3 or more assists in 22 of 34 games played, including a season-best 6 in back-to-back games vs. UMass-Lowell and Princeton.
For the season, Wheeler averaged his 8.5 points on 42.6 percent (101-of-237) shooting, including 33.7 percent (35-of-104) from 3-point range, and 71.2 percent (52-of-73) from the line to go with 2.8 assists, 1.1 rebounds and 0.6 steals in 22.3 minutes per game.
Wheeler was a standout high school player in Houston, where he was two-time top-10 finalist (2024, 2025) for the Guy V. Lewis Award, which is given to the top boys' basketball player in the Greater Houston area. He posted more than 2,500 points and 1,000 assists in his prep career at Houston Christian (2021-24) and Xavier Academy (2024-25).
Playing for his father, Teddy, who was named head coach at Xavier prior to the 2024-25 season, Wheeler helped lead the Falcons to an 18-3 record, including a 9-0 mark in the TAPPS Class 3A District 5, as a senior in 2024-25. In addition to being a finalist for the Guy V. Lewis Award, he named to the Houston Chronicle's First Team All-Greater Houston Team after averaging 21.6 points, 8.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.
Wheeler played his junior season in 2023-24 at Houston Christian High School, where he became the school's all-time leading scorer. He was named to the Houston Chronicle's All-Greater Houston Area Team, earning first team honors after averaging 22 points, 8 assists and 2 steals while shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range.
Wheeler was the 2023 Texas Private School Player of the Year by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches as a sophomore after leading the Mustangs to a 31-4 record.
Wheeler also performed well on the AAU circuit with the Texas Bluechips, leading all Under Armour Association players in points created or scored by assists with 32 per game while earning first team All-Circuit honors. He averaged 13 points, 7 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game.
Wheeler was rated among the top 100 prospects in the country in the Class of 2025 by both ESPN and 247Sports while ranking among top 20 in the state of Texas.
Aside from his father, Teddy, who has coached three McDonald's All-Americans and helped over 60 players secure Division I scholarships in his coaching career, Wheeler's brother, Savhir, played college basketball at Georgia, Kentucky and Washington from 2019-23, scoring more than 1,500 points and twice earning All-SEC honors. His uncle, Benard Wheeler, also played college basketball at Buffalo from 1995-97.
Wheeler is the 11th player to join the Wildcats this spring, including the ninth from the transfer portal.
2026 Signees (alphabetical order)
Isaiah Abraham (6-7, 205, Forward, Jr., Gainesville, Va. (Paul VI/UConn/Georgetown)
Jaylen Alexander (6-2, 185, Guard, Fr., Oxford, Ala. (Oxford)
Matt Gilhool (6-11, 213, Forward, RFr., Elizabethtown, Pa. (William Penn Charter/LSU)
Devin Hutcherson (6-4, 180, Forward, Fr., Atlanta, Ga. (Holy Innocents)
Dezdrick (Dez) Lindsay (6-6, 215, Forward, Sr., Louisville, Ky. (Male/Florida SouthWestern/Oregon)
Pape N'Diaye (7-0, 230, Forward, Jr., Abidjan, Ivory Coast (Trinity International/UNLV/Xavier)
Brandon Rechsteiner (6-1, 190, Guard, Sr., Acworth, Ga. (Etowah/Virginia Tech/Colorado State)
JT Rock (7-1, 255, Center, Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D. (Lincoln/Iowa State/New Mexico)
Jaden Schutt (6-5, 200, Guard, Sr., Yorkville, Ill. (Yorkville Christian/Duke/Virginia Tech)
Brock Vice (6-10, 238, Forward, So., Memphis Tenn. (Houston/North Texas/Murray State)
Montana Wheeler (5-10, 170, Guard, So., Houston, Texas (Xavier Academy/Bradley)
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on K-State men's basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X, Instagram and Facebook.
A 5-foot-10, 170-pound guard originally from Houston, Wheeler spent the past season playing for head coach Brian Wardle at Bradley, where as a true freshman he played in all 34 games for a Braves' squad that posted a 21-13 record and advanced to the first round of the NIT. He was named to the Missouri Valley's All-Bench Team after ranking second on the team in assists (96), third in 3-point field goals (35) and fourth in scoring (8.5 ppg.) despite not starting a game.
The first-year coach witnessed Wheeler's impressive play firsthand, as Wheeler scored a career-high 22 points while setting the Bradley single-game record for 3-pointers (7) in 88-78 loss to Alexander's Belmont squad on New Year's Day. He scored in double figures in 10 other games, including 19 at Indiana State on Dec. 18, 18 vs. Valparaiso on Feb. 3 and 17 at Evansville on Jan. 13.
In addition to his school-record 7 3-pointers vs. Belmont, Wheeler had multiple treys in seven other games, including 4 vs. Princeton on Nov. 24. He also dished out 3 or more assists in 22 of 34 games played, including a season-best 6 in back-to-back games vs. UMass-Lowell and Princeton.
For the season, Wheeler averaged his 8.5 points on 42.6 percent (101-of-237) shooting, including 33.7 percent (35-of-104) from 3-point range, and 71.2 percent (52-of-73) from the line to go with 2.8 assists, 1.1 rebounds and 0.6 steals in 22.3 minutes per game.
Wheeler was a standout high school player in Houston, where he was two-time top-10 finalist (2024, 2025) for the Guy V. Lewis Award, which is given to the top boys' basketball player in the Greater Houston area. He posted more than 2,500 points and 1,000 assists in his prep career at Houston Christian (2021-24) and Xavier Academy (2024-25).
Playing for his father, Teddy, who was named head coach at Xavier prior to the 2024-25 season, Wheeler helped lead the Falcons to an 18-3 record, including a 9-0 mark in the TAPPS Class 3A District 5, as a senior in 2024-25. In addition to being a finalist for the Guy V. Lewis Award, he named to the Houston Chronicle's First Team All-Greater Houston Team after averaging 21.6 points, 8.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.
Wheeler played his junior season in 2023-24 at Houston Christian High School, where he became the school's all-time leading scorer. He was named to the Houston Chronicle's All-Greater Houston Area Team, earning first team honors after averaging 22 points, 8 assists and 2 steals while shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range.
Wheeler was the 2023 Texas Private School Player of the Year by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches as a sophomore after leading the Mustangs to a 31-4 record.
Wheeler also performed well on the AAU circuit with the Texas Bluechips, leading all Under Armour Association players in points created or scored by assists with 32 per game while earning first team All-Circuit honors. He averaged 13 points, 7 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game.
Wheeler was rated among the top 100 prospects in the country in the Class of 2025 by both ESPN and 247Sports while ranking among top 20 in the state of Texas.
Aside from his father, Teddy, who has coached three McDonald's All-Americans and helped over 60 players secure Division I scholarships in his coaching career, Wheeler's brother, Savhir, played college basketball at Georgia, Kentucky and Washington from 2019-23, scoring more than 1,500 points and twice earning All-SEC honors. His uncle, Benard Wheeler, also played college basketball at Buffalo from 1995-97.
Wheeler is the 11th player to join the Wildcats this spring, including the ninth from the transfer portal.
2026 Signees (alphabetical order)
Isaiah Abraham (6-7, 205, Forward, Jr., Gainesville, Va. (Paul VI/UConn/Georgetown)
Jaylen Alexander (6-2, 185, Guard, Fr., Oxford, Ala. (Oxford)
Matt Gilhool (6-11, 213, Forward, RFr., Elizabethtown, Pa. (William Penn Charter/LSU)
Devin Hutcherson (6-4, 180, Forward, Fr., Atlanta, Ga. (Holy Innocents)
Dezdrick (Dez) Lindsay (6-6, 215, Forward, Sr., Louisville, Ky. (Male/Florida SouthWestern/Oregon)
Pape N'Diaye (7-0, 230, Forward, Jr., Abidjan, Ivory Coast (Trinity International/UNLV/Xavier)
Brandon Rechsteiner (6-1, 190, Guard, Sr., Acworth, Ga. (Etowah/Virginia Tech/Colorado State)
JT Rock (7-1, 255, Center, Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D. (Lincoln/Iowa State/New Mexico)
Jaden Schutt (6-5, 200, Guard, Sr., Yorkville, Ill. (Yorkville Christian/Duke/Virginia Tech)
Brock Vice (6-10, 238, Forward, So., Memphis Tenn. (Houston/North Texas/Murray State)
Montana Wheeler (5-10, 170, Guard, So., Houston, Texas (Xavier Academy/Bradley)
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on K-State men's basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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