Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang made a big splash earlier this month by rounding out the Wildcat roster with two highly coveted big men.
Illinois graduate forward Coleman Hawkins and soon-to-be Kentucky junior Ugonna Onyenso signed after withdrawing from the NBA Draft, bringing the Wildcats’ transfer portal to eight players and eclipsing the mark of seven who left the team after 2023 – 24 season. The final 13-player roster also includes a college transfer and a high school recruit.
Hawkins, who reportedly received a $2 million NIL deal to complete his career at K-State, was one of the highest-rated transfers in the portal, as was former Michigan guard Dug McDaniel.
K-State has just three players back from a 2023-24 team that went 19-15 with a loss in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament in Tang’s second season. In his first season, the Wildcats made one NCAA tournament run all the way to the Elite Eight.
Related: Kansas State Basketball lands 7-footer Ugonna Onyenso from Kentucky via transfer portal
Related: Kansas State basketball’s Big 12 schedule expands to 20 games next season
Here’s a final look at the Wildcats’ July roster. Players are listed with their year of eligibility in the 2024-25 season, including gateway and junior college transfers, high school recruits and returners, as well as 2023-24 players no longer on the team.
Related: Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang gets raise, amended release clause
Additions to the Kansas State basketball transfer portal
Coleman Hawkins, Sr., forward, 6-foot-4, 230 pounds (Illinois)
2023-24 Statistics: 31.6 minutes, 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 45.1% FG, 36.9% 3FG, 79.2% FT with 35 starts in 35 games .
Remarkable: Second team Big Ten all-conference in 2023-24. Only player in Illinois program history to finish his career with 900+ points, 500+ rebounds, 200+ assists, 100+ blocks and 100+ steals.
Ugonna Onyenso, Jr., center, 7-foot-1, 247 pounds (Kentucky)
2023-24 Statistics: 18.7 minutes, 3.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.75 blocks, 55.0% FG, 58.5% FT with 14 starts in 24 games.
Remarkable: Started the last 14 games as a sophomore at Kentucky. His 2.75 blocks per game last year were fifth all-time at Kentucky among players with at least 30 blocks.
Related: Kansas State basketball doubles down by landing coveted Samford big man Achor Achor
Achor Achor, Sr., forward, 6-foot-10, 227 pounds (Samford)
2023-24 Statistics: 22.6 minutes, 16.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.8 blocks, 58.6% FG, 43.5% 3FG, 71.2% FT with 33 starts in 33 games.
Remarkable: Transferred to Samford from Chipola (Florida) College, where he twice helped lead his team to the Final Four of the NJCAA Tournament. He had 23 points and eight rebounds last year in a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Kansas.
Max Jones, Sr., guard, 6-foot-4, 210 pounds (Cal State Fullerton)
2023-24 Statistics: 27.4 minutes, 15.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.7 steals, 38.3% FG, 38.5% 3FG, 78.7% FT with 21 starts in 24 games .
Remarkable: He played his first two seasons at the University of Tampa before transferring to Fullerton for the last two. He suffered a foot injury in February that limited him to 24 games in 2023-24.
Baye Fall, So., center/forward, 6-foot-4, 215 pounds (Arkansas)
2023-24 Statistics: 4.9 minutes, 0.8 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, appeared in 9 games.
Remarkable: A native of Senegal who was a 2023 McDonald’s All-American at Denver Accelerated School but played sparingly as a freshman at Arkansas.
Brendan Hausen, Jr., guard, 6’1″, 200 pounds (Villanova)
2023-24 Statistics: 17.7 minutes, 6.2 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 39.2% FG, 38.1% 3FG, 86.7% FT in 34 games.
Remarkable: A 3-point shooting specialist whose role increased throughout the season. He didn’t score in 6 minutes of action in Villanova’s overtime loss to K-State last December.
CJ Jones, Jr., guard, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds (Illinois-Chicago)
2023-24 Statistics: 33.4 minutes, 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 42.5% FG, 37.8% 3FG, 61.6% FT, 31 starts in 33 games.
Remarkable: Was second in scoring and first in assists as a sophomore on a UIC team that finished 12-21 and 4-16 in the Missouri Valley Conference, leading to the firing of coach Luke Yaklich.
Related: Kansas State basketball lands former Michigan standout point guard in transfer portal
Dug McDaniel, Jr., guard, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds (Michigan)
2023-24 Statistics: 35.4 minutes, 16.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 41.0% FG, 36.8% 3FG, 77.4% FT, 26 starts in 26 games .
Remarkable: Led the Wolverines in scoring and assists as a sophomore. He took over as the starting point guard nine games into his freshman year.
Junior College Transfer Additions
Chimobi Ikegwuruka, So., forward, 6-foot-1, 205 pounds (Ellsworth CC)
2023-24 Statistics: 19 points, 10.3 rebounds, 59.4% FG, 70.5% FT, 26 starts in 26 games.
Remarkable: A second team NJCAA All-American as a redshirt freshman at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa. He was born in Ireland to Nigerian parents.
2,024 high school recruits
David Castillo, Fr., guard, 6-foot-1, 180 pounds (Sunrise Christian)
Remarkable: Four-star guard from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, who signed with K-State in November and played his senior year at Sunrise Christian Academy near Wichita.
Returning players from last year’s team
David N’Guessan, Sr., forward, 6’0″, 220 pounds
2023-24 Statistics: 27.5 minutes, 7.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.8 blocks, 58.4% FG, 16.7% 3FG, 41.7% FT, 21 stars in 34 games.
Remarkable: After two seasons at Virginia Tech and two at K-State, N’Guessan takes advantage of his fifth year of COVID to finish his career as a Wildcat.
Taj Manning, RS-So., forward, 6-foot-1, 230 pounds
2023-24 Statistics: 4.9 minutes, 1.0 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.1 assists, 62.5% FG, 33.3% 3FG, 42.9% FT, 1 game in 14 games.
Macaleab Rich, So., forward, 6-foot-1, 240 pounds
2023-24 Statistics: 9.6 minutes, 3.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.1 assists, 0.3 steals, 69.2% FG, 53.8% FT, appeared in 16 games.
Players who left through the transfer portal
Arthur Kaluma, Sr., forward; 6-foot-7, 225 pounds (Texas)
2023-24 Statistics: 34.5 minutes, 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 42.7% FG, 34.5% 3FG, 74.7 FT, 32 starts in 33 games.
Remarkable: Kaluma was the Wildcats’ third-leading scorer and No. 1 rebounder while earning Big 12 honorable mention all-conference honors. He withdrew from the NBA Draft and committed to Texas on June 27.
Dai Dai Ames, So., guard, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds (Virginia)
2023-24 Statistics: 20.6 minutes, 5.2 points, 1.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 steals, 35.3% FG, 32.9% 3FG, 69.8% FT, 16 starts in 31 games .
Remarkable: Started the last 13 games of his freshman season at point guard. Committed to Virginia on May 15.
Ques Glover, gr., guard, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds
Remarkable: Transferred from Samford but missed the 2023-24 season with a knee injury. He has not yet found a new home.
RJ Jones, So., guard, 6-foot-1, 180 pounds (TCU)
2023-24 Statistics: 9.0 minutes, 2.4 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.3 steals, 29.4% FG, 29.8% 3FG, 84.6% FT, appeared in 28 games.
Remarkable: He entered the portal after his freshman year and signed with TCU in May.
Jerrell Colbert; Jr.; Center; 6-foot-10, 235 pounds (SMU)
2023-24 Statistics: 11.3 minutes, 2.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.3 steals, 47.5% FG, 52.4% FT, 13 starts in 31 games.
Remarkable: Former LSU transfer who started the last 13 games at center after redshirting in 2022-23. He signed with SMU in May.
Dorian Finister, So., guard, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds (Sam Houston St.)
2023-24 Statistics: 12.7 minutes, 2.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 39.6% FG, 13.3% 3FG, 64.3% FT, appeared in 19 games
Remarkable: Spent two years at K-State, redshirting in 2021-22, and signed with Sam Houston State.
Cam Carter, Sr., guard, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds (LSU)
2023-24 Statistics: 35.5 minutes, 14.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 39.1% FG, 30.9% 3FG, 84.0% FT, started every 34 games.
Remarkable: Signed with LSU after starting every game his two years at K-State.
Players who have exhausted their eligibility
Tylor Perry, guard, 5-11, 189 pounds
2023-24 Statistics: 15.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 35.8% FG, 33.5% 3FG, 90.9% FT, started all 34 games.
Remarkable: Transferred from North Texas to K-State and led the team in scoring. Also named honorable mention all-conference by Big 12 coaches.
Will McNair, center, 6-foot-1, 265 pounds
2023-24 Statistics: 22.8 minutes, 8.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.5 steals, 62.4% FG, 25.0% 3FG, 53.7% FT, started 19 33 games.
Remarkable: He played three seasons at New Mexico State and one at Mississippi State before transferring to K-State as a super-senior.
Taymont Lindsey, guard, 5-foot-10, 170 pounds
2023-24 Statistics: 0.8 minutes, 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, appeared in 4 games.
Remarkable: Transfer to super-senior from Manhattan Christian College.
Arne Green lives in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett Network. He can be contacted at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared in the Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State Basketball 2024-25 Final Transfer Portal Tracker
