This former 4-star was overlooked at Duke. Kansas State thinks that was a mistake.

Former Duke forward Jenessa Cotton is transferring to Kansas State, the school announced Thursday.

Cotton, a 6-foot-2 forward from Orange, California, played in just eight games for the Blue Devils in 2024, logging a total of 44 minutes.

She averaged 1.0 point, 0.8 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 5.6 minutes per game.

She made her debut against Kansas State on Nov. 25 and posted a season-high 14 minutes against then-No. 8 Oklahoma two days later.

A four-star recruit and Elite 150 member out of high school, Cotton was ranked No. 80 in the ESPNW 100 for the class of 2024.

She was named the Orange County Register Player of the Year and Trinity League MVP after averaging 17.9 points and 8.1 rebounds as a senior.

Cotton joins a K-State roster undergoing a significant overhaul. The Wildcats also added Australian guard Tess Heal via the transfer portal and brought in former Auburn commit Brandie Harrod.

Kansas State’s incoming group includes four-star guard Aniya Foy, Spanish point guard Gina Garcia Safont and five-star freshman Jordan Speiser. They are all expected to compete for minutes right away.

K-State is coming off a 28–8 season, including a 13–5 record in Big 12 play, good for a tie for fourth in the conference. The Wildcats went 17–1 at home and reached the Sweet 16 before falling to USC, 67–61.