Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang has been very busy this off-season. After losing five guys to the transfer portal and two players to graduation, Tang had to go back to the drawing board for his third season.
After an amazing debut season as a head coach making it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament, Tang's squad took a big step backward and did not even make the March Madness Tournament this past season.
If there is one thing that Tang has shown is that he knows how to bring in players that will work in his system from the transfer portal, but he has struggled to keep talent signed from high school.
So heading into his third season as simply a head coach and the Kansas State head coach, what three questions keep Tang awake at night?
How do I keep younger talent?
After Bruce Webber left Kansas State, many players chose to jump ship as well. When Jerome Tang was announced as the next head coach of the Wildcats, his first act of business was bringing in players to replace the ones that left. He brought in players like Keyontae Johnson who helped lead the team to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
While Tang has only been with Kansas State for two seasons, he has shown he can bring in transfers, but the young talent he has signed from high school has not stuck around for the long haul.
Tang has brought in younger talent this offseason through the transfer portal, but the talent he has signed needs to stick around and grow through the Wildcat program. It is hard to fully rely on transfers each season, young talent is still so important.
Can I take a step forward in year three?
Year two was a tough season for Tang as the Wildcats went from the Elite Eight to not even making the NCAA Tournament in just one season. The Wildcats struggled with turnovers and led the Big 12 in that category.
When the Wildcats had a lead, fans held their breath about whether or not they would give it up by giving the ball away.
Tang has all the makings to be a phenomenal head coach with not only how he coaches, but the men he sends out in the world. It would have taken a lot for Kansas State to improve on what they did in Tang's first season, but to not even make the tournament the next season is not anything anyone expected.
The biggest question is, can the Wildcats take a step forward now? Can they improve unlike they did last season?
Am I a one-hit wonder?
Tang's first and second seasons are like night and day difference. Was it the players, or was it Tang's coaching style? Why was there such a big difference?
K-State came out of nowhere in Tang's first season and when his second season came around, a lot was expected out of the team. While the team did not live up to the hype, they had shining moments during the season that showed glimpses of Tang's first year.
There is a lot of pressure on Tang and K-State to do well this season after last season. Can Tang do it again, or was year one just pure luck?