Rapid recap: Kansas State roster gelling
New Kansas State roster gelling
Kansas State returns just three players from last season on this season’s basketball team. For Jerome Tang, having all of his players in July was very beneficial this off-season. It was the first time in his three seasons that K-State had their full roster before August began.
Having all of his roster together, the Wildcats were able to go on a team retreat and challenged his players on the retreat. Tang was pleased with how his team responded to the challenge on the retreat. “Shark Week” also just concluded and he was pleased with how his team rose to the occasion and continued to support each other when times got tough.
One player praised for how he has brought everyone together was David N’Guessan. N’Guessan is in his third year in the program and his confidence is at an all-time high. He understands the ins and outs of the program and is helping the new players come along.
Two players with major praise
Two players Tang raved about were Dug McDaniel and David Castillo. McDaniel has embraced everything Kansas State has wanted him to do as a point guard and leader of the team. He has emptied his cup and let the K-State coaches fill it every day. Tang even used a football analogy saying McDaniel is the kind of competitor that would be a great cornerback and wide receiver.
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Castillo has won big at the high school level. It was one of the reasons Kansas State recruited him and pursued him so hard. The freshman also has the approach of a pro and has championship-level habits. Tang praised Castillo for being a player who when things are the toughest has risen to the occasion and is not a typical freshman in those moments.
Versatility
The Wildcats roster can be very versatile this season. There is a variety of length, shooting, and playmaking abilities. The roster construction makes it so Kansas State does not have to play one certain way, which is Tang’s style of roster construction. If the best lineup is four guards, K-State will do that. If the best lineup is four forwards, the Wildcats can do that.
The Kansas State coach believes the length on this roster will allow them to be a better defensive-rebounding team than in the past. It was a point of emphasis in the off-season that was addressed in the transfer portal.
