The NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal officially opened on April 6, and so far, it hasn’t treated the Kansas State men’s basketball program well. Several players have already decided to move on from the Casey Alexander era, with more decisions still looming.
Kansas State Transfer Portal Breakdown: Who’s In, Who’s Out, and What Comes Next
Coaching transitions often shake up rosters, especially in today’s college basketball landscape and that’s exactly what’s happening in Manhattan.
As of publication, six players from the projected 2025–26 roster have entered the transfer portal. For those unfamiliar, once a player enters the portal, they are expected to leave the program. The group includes some of Kansas State’s most notable contributors from last season.
Departures: P.J. Haggerty, Abdi Bashir Jr., David Castillo
The most significant loss for the Wildcats is PJ Haggerty, who finished among the top five scorers nationally during the regular season. He, along with the rest of the starting lineup, was originally recruited by former head coach Jerome Tang after spending one season at Memphis.
Haggerty averaged a career-best 23.4 points over 31 games and shot just above 35% from beyond the arc. He led Kansas State in minutes and scoring for 18 consecutive games from late nonconference play through the early Big 12 schedule.
He and Nate Johnson both surpassed 30 points in the matchup against Baylor, becoming the first K-State duo since 2008 (the Marcus Beasley era) to do so in the same game. Haggerty leaves with one year of eligibility left.
Castillo and Bashir face different circumstances. Both were also Tang recruits, but Bashir spent much of the season sidelined with a reported foot injury and did not play after the Wildcats’ crushing loss to Oklahoma State.
Castillo played in 32 games, averaging 28 minutes and 10.4 points per appearance. He posted a season-high 22 points against Bowling Green—one of K-State’s more disappointing nonconference defeats.
Unlike Haggerty, both Castillo and Bashir depart with multiple years of eligibility remaining. None of the three players have announced their next destinations.
Only One Returner So Far: Andrej Kostic
Forward Andrej Kostic, who showed promise primarily in a reserve role, announced Monday afternoon that he will return to play for Alexander next season.
Kostic completed his freshman year in 2025–26, appearing in 23 games and averaging 5.2 points. He demonstrated potential as a perimeter shooter, hitting three or more threes against both Kansas and Colorado.
His season-best 12 points all came from deep in the Jan. 24 game against the Jayhawks. Although he dealt with injury issues like many teammates, he avoided significant time away.
Additional Departures: Stephen Osei, Exavier Wilson, Taj Manning
K-State’s list of exits extends beyond its headline players. Starting forward Taj Manning also entered the portal slightly later than the others. The 6-foot-7 junior averaged 4.2 points, shot 48.5% overall, and just 18.5% from three. He ranked second on the team in rebounds (5.1 per game), trailing only Haggerty (5.3).
Stephen Osei appeared in just three games, scoring his only two points of the season against Mississippi State. Exavier Wilson did not log any game action under either Tang or interim coach Matthew Driscoll.
