It's the end of the road for six former Kansas State men's basketball players in Manhattan, but that doens't mean its game over. Here are some potential landing spots for last season's stars.
Former Kansas State Wildcats could shape up elsewhere
At the time of publication, two members of last season's team have already committed to other schools. The Wildcats' point guard and leading scorer, P.J. Haggerty, is headed to Texas A&M and forward Taj Manning to Iowa State.
That leaves six others in the transfer portal: Dorin Buca, Abdi Bashir Jr., David Castillo, Exavier Wilson, Stephen Osei and Chimobi (Mobi) Ikegwuruka. All have potential to shine outside The Little Apple, but the question is where.
Potential fits for David Castillo, Abdi Bashir Jr., Dorin Buca
Of the group, Castillo, Bashir and Buca saw the majority of minutes in 2025-26. Bashir and Castillo handled starting roles, while Buca played the role of a traditional big of the bench. All three bring something different to the table, and should draw significant interest in the transfer portal.
NEW: Kansas State guard David Castillo plans to enter the transfer portal, @JoeTipton reports.
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) April 2, 2026
Castillo averaged 10.3 points per game last season.https://t.co/IqAcVXDxyc pic.twitter.com/l2C7Yw5qzS
Castillo appeared in the most games of the trio, playing the majority of 32 contests and averaging over 28.5 minutes per game. His production remained steady throughout the season, finishing with 10.3 points per game while shooting 40% from the field.
Castillo’s offensive game translates easily. He’s a reliable midrange scorer and a capable shooter when he gets going. He fits the mold of just about evert lineup in the Big Ten or American. When he’s at his best, his production mirrors that of former Wichita State point guard Kenyon Giles.
One potential destination to watch is Tulsa. The NIT runner-up Golden Hurricane are in the market for backcourt help as they look to replace point guard Tylen Riley. Castillo fits that mold well, though According to 247Sports, there is no current Crystal Ball prediction
Bashir was one of the team’s most effective three-point shooters when healthy. Although he missed the latter half of the season due to injury, his impact while active was clear, providing the majority of perimeter scoring.
Bashir's shooting ability has value in today’s game. The stat sheet shows 44%, among the best in the country. Teams in need of floor spacing and backcourt depth or could show interest in what he brings when fully healthy. Similar to Castillo, there is no Crystal Ball prediction.
Unlike the other two, Buca filled his role as a traditional big, and did so as a major mismatch for the majority of Big 12 oppoents. Standing over 7-foot, he shot better than 50% from the floor while averaging 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per contest.
Buca also showed flashes against top competition, including a career-high 12-point performance in Big 12 play against Arizona. At the time, Arizona was the top-ranked team in the country, something definitely worth noting.
As for fit, Buca is a strong option in the Mountain West, maybe even at New Mexico. The Lobos lost Rock to the Wildcats, and depending on how the market develops, could look to Buca if he's still available later in the window. Albeit not a direct one-for-one swap, the similarities in play style make the fit logical on paper.
Stephen Osei, Exavier Wilson, Mobi Ikegwuruka not cut-and-dry
It's hard to provide outlooks on players that saw minimal time, especially in the cases of Osei and Ikegwuruka. Osei's only in-game minutes for Kansas State came against UNC Greensboro, Mississippi State and Indiana. He played five minutes or fewer in each contest.
Ikegwuruka stepped away due to reported personal reasons, according to a statement released by former head coach Jerome Tang in late January. He saw significant time in 10 games in 2025, but his production is dated.
Wilson never suited up last season. His absence was a contributing factor to the depth limitations the Wildcats faced at times last season, playing with as few as seven against both Utah and Kansas. Though he didn't appear, he wasn't the sole cause. The majority of issues came from injury.
As for where they mgiht end up, there are no predictions. Each could find bench rolls in the Power Four, or serve traditional leadership rolls on other mid-major rosters.
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