The time for talk is over in Manhattan, Kansas, and so is the doubt in first year Kansas State men's basketball head coach Casey Alexander's recruiting strategy. With all of the Wildcats' transfer portal additions, things are finally shaping out, and looking like something special.
Wildcats nearing full roster with exciting new transfr portal additions
Alexander hasn't been shy about using the portal, and its full advantages at that. The commitments of both New Mexico transfer JT Rock and former LSU forward Matt Gilhool were just the icing on the cake. But what's made his strategy unique? Answer: where the team is looking.
A good number of incoming transfers haven't come from the Power Four, albeit there are some exceptions. Gilhool is one of them, along with Oregon transfer Dezdrick Lindsay and former ACC standout Jaden Schutt. Most are coming from mid-majors.
Brandon Rechsteiner, Colorado State's point guard for the entirety of the 2025-26 season is among that category. Same is said about Rock, Murray State transfer Brock Vice, and Georgetown transfer Isaiah Abraham. So far, that's been the key: look beyond the surface.
Alexander's background might explain the tactics
For those unfamiliar, Casey Alexander spent the majority of his coaching career in the Missouri Valley Conference at Belmont. He joined the program ahead of the 2019-20 season, quickly turning the Bruins into a powerhouse at the mid-major level.
That's not just a claim, either. He's coached some big names in Belmont Hall of Famer Kerron Johnson, and more recently an outgoing transfer to Tennessee, Tyler Lundblade. And that's just to name a few. Alexander also did his part in flipping the commitments of two high school recruits, Devin Hutcherson and Jaylen Alexander.
Having been around the mid-major level so long, it;'s no surprise that's where transfers are coming from. The same can be said throughout the nation. Over at Iowa, head coach Ben McCollum made the Elite Eight with a number of former Division II players.
Case in point, it's not unheard of. Thanks to the transfer portal, it's a game changer.
Transfer portal names fans want to remember
At the time of publication, the Wildcats have seven incoming transfers: Abraham, Schutt, Rechsteiner, Vice, Gilhool and Lindsay. There are also eight outgoing transfers, two of which have already commited elsewhere.
Both P.J. Haggerty and Taj Manning, two starters from the 2025-26 team, have arleady landed elsewhere. Manning will play for T.J. Otzelberger and Iowa State with Haggerty headed to his home state of Texas and the Texas A&M Aggies.
Other outgoing transfers include Dorin Buca, Exavier Wilson, Abdi Bashir Jr., Exavier Wilson, Mobi Ikegwuruka, David Castillo and Stephen Osei. Andrej Kostic is the only member of last season's team to return, and will play for Alexander his sophomore season.
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