A new era is underway for Kansas State men’s basketball, and it’s not led by interim coach Matthew Driscoll. Former Belmont head coach Casey Alexander has taken over and already looks like the program’s ideal long-term successor.
Three reasons Casey Alexander was the right choice for Kansas State men's basketball
Like any coach taking over at a Power Four program in his first season, Alexander understands the game. He’s spent years around it at both Belmont and Lipscomb, and now brings that excellence to Kansas State.
Each of his last 10 seasons dating back to his third year with the Bisons has resulted in .500 or better, including four regular season championships split between the Ohio Valley and Missouri Valley conferences.
His lone NCAA Tournament appearance came with Lipscomb in 2017-18, but solidified his name among the greats at the mid-major level. Since then, he's won consistently, and hasn't looked back since.
Alexander's elite ability to flip recruits
Upon taking the Kansas State job, two things become clear. The first, Alexander knows the mid-major ranks. Better yet, he's got recruits from the high school ranks loyal enough to follow him.
It didn't take long for the Wildcats to flip high school recruits Devin Hutcherson and Jaylen Alexander. They aren't just another collection of average high school athletes, either.
Alexander was named Alabama's Mr. Basketball in 2026, doubling as the state's Gatorade Player of the Year. Hutcherson, originally from Atlanta, Georgia, was named his conference's Private Player of the Year and earned First-Team All-State honors his senior season.
On paper, Hutcherson is one of the most dominant high school payers to ever come from the state. The fact that he's coming to Manhattan should have fans plenty excited.
And beyond just the two recruits this year, their impending success has the potiential to set the standard for those to follow. That's something Alexander preached in not wanting to turn over an entire roster in his opening press conference.
Knowledge of the mid-major ranks
It goes without saying that after spending that much time climbing the coaching ranks, you learn where talent develops. So far this offseason, that understanding looks right in line with the roster Alexander is bringing in.
Not all of this season's additions have come from the Power Four schools in the transfer portal. Several key pieces, including Murray State transfer Brock Vice, New Mexico transfer JT Rock, and former Colorado State guard Brandon Rechsteiner, arrive from strong mid-major programs with proven track records of production.
There’s also movement in the other direction. Players from last year’s roster are heading to similar programs, including David Castillo, who has committed to Santa Clara. The broader takeaway is this: Alexander has a strong feel for where momentum is building, and he’s assembled a roster that reflects that ability to identify it.
If the right pieces continue to come together, there’s a real possibility this group follows an upward trajectory similar to what Jerome Tang engineered in 2023, with the added emphasis on sustaining success through retention and year-over-year development.
If that holds, there’s plenty of reason for optimism, and zero chance the wheels fall off and a buyout is ever in question.
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