There's a return in sight for former Kansas State men's basketball head coach Jerome Tang, and this time it's with his former staff. Reports indicate Tang could find himself back at Baylor, but how safe is that move really?
Major consequences following Jerome Tang when Baylor move finalizes
Tang spent four seasons as the head coach of the Kansas State Wildcats. His biggest accomplishment: an Elite Eight run his first season in 2023. That was a special year for the Wildcats, and not just because they made the postseason.
It also marked the first year the Wildcats weren't under Bruce Weber, a move that signaled the start of a new era for the program. Unfortunately, it wouldn't last long. The 26-10 season turned to 19-15 the following year, and next thing fans knew, the Widlcats went below .500 in each of Tang's final two seasons.
After publicly criticizing his team’s effort in a home loss to the Cincinnati Bearcats to open conference play, Tang was out as head coach. Fast forward to now, and almost his entire roster has entered the transfer portal.
Whether or not it was a mistake, or how unjustified his comments were, they certainly gained national media coverage. If that's a reputation he intends on carrying over to Baylor, the hire could spell trouble before he arrives back in Waco.
Why the move could be the right one, even amidst the chaos
Jerome Tang is a household name in the Waco, Texas area, specifically around the Baylor Bears program. It goes without saying that he found success under one of the biggest coaching trees in the nation, and returning could only bolster those skills.
It was Baylor where Tang was first sought after before taking over the head role with the Wildcats, and making it back could open doors beyond the Wildcats, or even the Big 12 Conference.
It's worth noting that Tang won the NCAA Tournament with Drew and the Bears in 2021. Baylor also made the tournament in each of the last five seasons previous to 2025-26. Bringing Tang back, especially into a role that he's familiar with, could pay dividends.
Tang's time at Baylor by the numbers
While at Baylor, Tang appeared in 10 different NCAA tournaments on Drew's staff. During that stretch, he not only won March Madness in 2021, but also the Big 12 regular season title twice. He briefly spent time as the program's interim head coach in 2013, winning both games while occupying that role.
The same season he filled the interim role, the Bears won the NIT title. Throughout his career, Tang produced 11 All-American talents. Before taking over at Kansas State, he developed 13 NBA players with that number increasing after professional appearances by Nae'Quwan Tomlin and Marquise Nowell.
Whether or not his time at Kansas State was a fluke, that's up for the fans to decide. With the right players in line and back in a familiar environemnt, it'll be interesting to see how next season's conference matchups shape up.
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