Incoming Kansas State Wildcats men’s basketball head coach Casey Alexander arrived in Manhattan, Kansas on Monday to an eager crowd welcoming the program’s 27th head coach to the Little Apple.
It didn’t take long, either, for one star’s name to start circulating after his decision to enter the transfer portal.
Former Belmont starter Tyler Lundblade enters transfer portal, could follow Casey Alexander to Kansas State
Tyler Lundblade, the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on Monday morning. In a day and age where former players are known to follow their coaches, there’s a real chance Lundblade lands at Kansas State.
Belmont guard Tyler Lundblade, the MVC Player of the Year, will enter the @TransferPortal, his agency ProMondo Sports told @On3.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) March 16, 2026
The 6-foot-5 senior averaged 15.6 PPG, shooting 40.6% from three. Will have one more year of eligibility remaining and will "evaluate all his… pic.twitter.com/aEM61EIFCF
Lundblade played two seasons under Alexander after transferring in from TCU in 2024. His time at Belmont wasn’t underwhelming, either.
The fourth-year senior averaged 15.6 points per game, also logging an average of 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest. He scored a season-high 31 points against current NCAA March Madness 12-seed Northern Iowa in conference play.
Just a season prior, Lundblade logged just over 12 points. He’s a career 43.5% three-point shooter and also averages over 90% from the free-throw line.
Why Lundblade’s transfer to Kansas State just makes sense
Coaches bringing former players along to a new job is nothing new. Few, however, have leaned into the strategy as successfully as Ben McCollum at Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball, where several players on the roster previously played under him at Northwest Missouri State.
That’s not to say it’s the likely solution, just a viable option in the transfer portal era. Alexander made it clear on Monday that he wants to recruit from the high school level and develop talent, but players like Lundblade are impossible to ignore.
Pair that with his already stacked resume playing under Alexander, and he becomes a player in the portal that’s impossible to ignore. He’d fit right in with the familiar system at the next level of competition.
Should he decide to play under Alexander, Lundblade might not be the only former Bruin to make the switch. No other announcements have been made, but there’s a chance his decision could start a domino effect.
Collin Klein, Jeff Mittie among those in attendance to welcome Casey Alexander
Alexander wasn’t the only new head coach in the room on Monday morning. First-year head football coach Collin Klein and women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie were also in attendance.
Klein was introduced as the Wildcats next head football coach in Decemeber after a retirement announcement from former head coach Chris Klieman. Mittie isn’t a new face in the Little Apple, but recently made headlines after earning an invitation to the WBIT.