The 2025-26 Kansas State men’s basketball season wasn’t ideal, and it started with one glaring issue: size. That’s something first-year head coach Casey Alexander made a clear priority in the transfer portal entering his debut season.
Transfer center JT Rock, forward Brock Vice can make all the difference for Kansas State
Both JT Rock and Brock Vice committed to Kansas State back in April, each standing over seven feet tall and expected to play center in the 2026-27 season. That’s a noticeable shift from last season, when Dorin Buca was the only true big added to the roster and primarily came off the bench.
And Buca's numbers as a big didn't necessarily stand out. In 27 games, he averaged just 3.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists. Compare that to Rock's numbers at New Mexico, and there's a noticeable jump.
Unlike Buca, Rock didn't battle injury for a good chunk of the season. He appeared in 37 games, averaging 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds. Rock also nearly doubled Buca's average minutes with 12.8 per game.
Then there’s Vice, a transfer from Murray State who played a limited role last season. He appeared in a total of 30 games off the bench, averaging just 5.3 minutes and two points per game. Similar to Buca, the numbers don’t tell the full story; they mostly reflect a lack of consistent playing time.
Where things change with multiple true bigs
Having two bigs on a roster at any given time is impressive, especially when considering the rotational issues the Wildcats faced last season. And with the added layer of depth, it's safe to assume this season's production won't solely run through one player.
The biggest factor, however, is that there aren’t any true high-profile recruits entering this season’s roster. Alexander didn’t land anyone in the mold of a Darryn Peterson or AJ Dybantsa, but that doesn’t mean stars aren’t waiting to emerge.
That emergence starts with the bigs, arguably the most in-demand position on any roster. It becomes less about having one true big, and having two guys equally capable of playing the position.
Should Alexander prove capable of developing talent at the position, and whether or not he can retain them, will make all the difference. Needless to say it could also reshape the recruiting game, how future seasons play out.
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