Implications of no Belmont players following Casey Alexander to Kansas State

Kansas State men's basketball head coach Casey Alexander spent five seasons with the Belmont Bruins before the Wildcats officially hired him. If fans though that meant his former players would join him, they'll need to rethink that narrative.

No former Belmont Players following Kansas State head coach Casey Alexander

Following Alexander's departure, two names emerged as candidates in the transfer portal to commit to Kansas State: Tyler Lundblade and Drew Scharnowski. Not long after the portal opened, it became clear that the race was down to one, if any.

Lundblade was quick to schedule an official visit with the Tennessee Volunteers, and even committed on April 1. Unlike the date suggests, it wasn't an April Fools joke. The Wildcats might have missed out on the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in Lundblade, but still had another shot.

Scharnowski, another big name on the 2025-26 Bruins roster, certainly held out on making a decision for slightly longer than Lundblade. Ahead of his transfer decision, Alexander and the Wildcats had already added Dezdrick Lindsay, Isaiah Abraham and others at the forward position.

He'd ultimately commit to Duke on April 19, erasing any possibility. For the Wildcats, however, that's not the end of the story.

Why no former players opted to follow Alexander, Kansas State men's basketball

There's no single reason that players opt out of following their former head coaches. Not every roster, like Ben McCollum at Iowa, sees athletes follow their head coaches. For some, it's just not the right fit for where they want to go.

Both Scharnowski and Lundblade will still play in the Power Four, but do so in other, potentially more beneficial roles to continue their college careers. Sometimes it's money or NIL benefits, but regardless of the circumstance, athletes make decisions based on what's best for their career outlooks.

It doesn't automatically mean that none of his former players liked their spots on his roster, or that they wouldn't play for him again if granted the option. Even if that were the case, it's likely that conversation might have already happened.

Where both players can make an immediate impact

Neither Lundblade nor Scharnowski landed with respectable basketball schools by accident. Both have size, versatility, and the ability to score. For Lundblade, that's as another big for the Volunteers, and a similar role that Scharnowski fills with the Blue Devils.

The certian departure of Cameron Boozer to the NBA Draft, along with others from the Blue Devils Roster make Scharnowski a key addition, and one that can make an immediate impact. He could even bring a dynamic similar to Cooper Flagg's numbers a few seasons prior.

Should both record breakout seasons in 2026-27, there's a very real possibility that next season's conversation is less focused on the transfer portal, and instead on the NBA Draft. It won't be the tone of possible college destinations, rather rookie contracts and scouting projections.

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