Casey Alexander is changing the recruiting strategy for the men’s basketball program at Kansas State.
The former Belmont coach already stated publicly how there’s “zero reason” the Wildcats can’t win ballgames out of the gate with the coaching staff and 10 new transfers he’s introduced. On Friday, Sean Rutigliano, the team’s newly tapped general manager who previously served as associate head coach to Alexander at Belmont, provided a new insight on their recruiting philosophy.
Rutigliano told Derek Young of KStateOnline the Wildcats are willing to “refuse to take a very talented player who doesn’t fit the culture,” in a post shared by Young on Friday. At first glance it seems like standard recruiting lingo – culture over talent – but what could a statement like this suggest about Alexander’s recruiting practices? And does it signal tougher standards in the new regime?
Jerome Tang is back at Baylor after finalizing a deal to rejoin Scott Drew‘s operation in Waco, Texas, following a disappointing end to his four seasons as head coach of the Wildcats. The school is actively reviewing a lawsuit in regards to his $18.7 buyout clause, but the Alexander era’s in full swing and they’re assessing some new realities with recruiting.
K-State athletic director Gene Taylor detailed how he plans to win with a $6 million basketball roster next season, and Rutigliano’s comments above certainly reinforce that conservative stance when it comes to recruiting. In a world where money seems to be the constant offseason headline, Alexander’s stance on recruiting is somewhat refreshing by Power Four standards, but is it practical? By contrast, Kentucky is reportedly paying Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic $6.5 million for next season.
Former Wildcats like Mitch Richmond, Askia Jones, Michael Beasley and Jacob Pullen have all birthed noteworthy careers from their time in Manhattan, and even recent stars such as Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson carved out places for themselves rounding out their eligibility in the Big 12 after beginning their careers at other programs. It’s tough to categorize pre-NIL players in the same file, though, when everyone knows just how little our favorite former stars made playing college basketball.
If nothing else, Alexander is seemingly searching for more sanity and logic when sitting down with prospective recruits. Guys will be paid, but it’s safe to say K-State’s new coach isn’t going to sit there and haggle with an 18-year-old’s agent because he averaged 15 points per game in high school. How they’ll account for the transfer rules and the resulting offseason volatility is an equally valid concern, and how much a particular player earns over another will inevitably draw a wedge somewhere in the equation.
The upshot is nobody’s figured out yet, and part of me really hopes Alexander makes a breakthrough for our sake.
