The top Cats?

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1. K-State’s strong offseason applies to more than just transfers

There’s no secret to roster building in 2024. If your program has solid NIL support, you’ll be in the mix for talent.

Just ask Kansas State.

The Wildcats splashed the cash this offseason, bringing in eight transfers. It’s a stacked class that includes former Illinois forward Coleman Hawkins, Michigan point guard Dug McDaniel and Samford forward Achor Achor, three players whose NIL deals reportedly reached roughly $4 million.

Throw in Kentucky big Ugonna Onyenso, Villanova guard Brendan Hausen, Cal State Fullerton guard Max Jones, and Arkansas big Baye Fall, and you’ve got a roster that has the talent to compete in a stacked Big 12.

It’s no surprise that the Wildcats earned strong offseason grades from Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster.

That NIL money isn’t only for transfers, either.

Darryn Peterson, the No. 3 overall recruit and top-ranked shooting guard in the 2025 class, included the Wildcats in his top four teams. (He’s also considering Kansas, Ohio State, and USC.)

That comes off the heels of AJ Dybantsa, 2025’s top-ranked recruit, taking an official visit in Manhattan over the weekend for a K-State football game against UT-Martin.

The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa already has other visits set with North Carolina and Kansas, plus Alabama, Baylor, and BYU.

It’s pretty impressive Kansas State is in the mix for elite recruits like Dybantsa and Peterson. This isn’t a program that’s historically landed 5-star prospects — just three this century, and none since 2009 — but it speaks to the culture and success coach Jerome Tang has built in two seasons.

And it speaks to the program’s NIL resources, which many coaches believe is better than the likes of Baylor, Louisville, Alabama and even Duke.

Get used to Kansas State being in the running for top players and competing for Big 12 success.

You can bet that Tang, who’s won 45 games in his first two seasons and reportedly passed on the Arkansas job this summer, is focused on keeping the Wildcats on the minds of elite players.

2. Four staffers out at Memphis

Let’s ask Field of 68 host and Memphis native John Martin what he thinks about the latest move with Penny Hardaway’s program.

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