Nearly the entire Kansas State men's basketball roster entered the transfer portal following a disappointing 2025-26 season. Among them was former Wildcats guard Abdi Bashir Jr., who's latest transfer destination won't factor into next season's competition.
Abdi Bashir Jr. chooses LSU Tigers over Kansas Jayhawks, Big 12 Conference in transfer portal
Bashir saw limited action last season, primarily due to a nagging foot injury that required surgery in the midst of conference play. He did not suit up for the Wildcats following the Jan. 17 road contest against Oklahoma State.
Portal Profile: Kansas State G Abdi Bashir Jr.
— 104.5 ESPN (@1045espn) May 10, 2026
LSU basketball just added a certified bucket-getter 🔥🏀
Abdi Bashir Jr. shot 44% from three at Kansas State and gives Will Wade the sniper this roster desperately needed.
👇 Link to the article in the comments ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/UMVZkkMDWA
And Bashir wasn't the only one in that department, either. Against both Kansas and Utah last season, Kansas State only played with seven roster members healthy. In simple terms, that's a starting five with only two players on the bench.
Compare that to incoming head coach Casey Alexander’s work in the transfer portal, and the Wildcats now have 13 players on the roster. The unfortunate reality for Kansas State fans is that Bashir won’t be one of them.
Reports by Joe Tipton and On3 confirmed on Friday that Bashir chose the LSU Tigers over potential landing spots of Kansas and NC State. It was also reported that Bashir met with both programs over Zoom prior to the LSU decision.
Thankfully, he won't be labeled a traitor by the fanbase, but taking the meeting with Kansas certainly sparks some rivalry debate. For now, it's just hypothetical.
Wildcats outlook without Bashir in the lineup
Bashir was central to Kansas State's perimeter shooting game last season. He shot a combined 39.9% from three-point range while also shooting 38% from the field, one of the highest percentages of any starter last season. In the games Bashir did play, he averaged double figures at 13.2 points per game.
Compared to this season's likely starting roster, his position will be occupied by Virginia Tech transfer Jayden Schutt, former Bradley guard Montana Wheeler or Colorado State transfer Brandon Rechsteiner.
At the time of publication, Rechsteiner is the only listed point guard acquired by the Wildcats listed by 247Sports. The transfer portal window closed on April 21.
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