MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior David N’Guessan and junior Dug McDaniel met with the media on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 26), as the Wildcats started practice earlier this week.
Links to the audio and a transcript of the availability are above.
N’Guessan is one of 3 returning lettermen for the Wildcats, along with sophomores Taj Manning and Macaleab Rich in 2024-25. McDaniel is one of 11 newcomers, including 8 Division I transfers.
The De Lier, The Netherlands native will play his final year of eligibility in 2024-25 after seeing action in 120 games between Virginia Tech (2020-22) and K-State (2022-) with 39 starts. He is coming off a career year in 2023-24, in which, he posted career-highs for points (265), double-digit scoring games (14), field goals made (111) and attempted (190), double-doubles (3), rebounds (230), assists (31), blocks (26), steals (24) and minutes (935).
McDaniel, who was the first of the 8 Division I transfers to commit to the Wildcats in April, arrives after two seasons at Michigan (2022-24), where he averaged 11.8 points, 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 32.8 minutes per game in 60 games with 52 starts. He led the Wolverines in scoring (16.3 ppg.), 3-point field goals (56), assists (4.7 apg.), steals (1.1 spg.) and minutes (35.4 mpg.) as a sophomore in 2023-24.
The Wildcats finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, including an 8-10 mark in Big 12 play, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats’ 19 victories were 4 over Top 25 teams, including 3 in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games in Tang’s first two seasons, including consecutive postseason appearances.
The Big 12 announced its new-look 20-game conference schedule earlier today (Sept. 26) with the Wildcats set to face Cincinnati in the opener on Monday, Dec. 30. The team will play their first and only exhibition game against Fort Hays State on Tuesday, Oct. 29 before hosting New Orleans in the opener on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
SENIOR WING DAVID N’GUESSAN
On the vibes of the team so far…
“It's been good so far. I came late because I was playing with the (Netherlands) national team, but I feel like I built chemistry with all the guys really fast. Vibes been really good to me, personally.”
On the similarities between Dug McDaniel and Markquis Nowell…
“Yeah, he does a little bit. Two different players, but yeah, point guard leaders, both dogs, like to get their teammates involved. So, to see a lot of that, they make it easier for other guys. So, make it easy for me personally. So, it's a lot of fun to play with.”
On what it takes to get back to the NCAA tournament…
“I mean, it takes everybody. Obviously, last year we had a few guys that could have contributed that wasn't there for us. We just want the whole team to be there, hold the rope so we can fight together.”
On his role as a veteran with a team full of newcomers…
“I feel just like being the leader, the lead by example, being my third year here, but also being a fifth year in college, I've been through it. I see what it has looked like when he made it to (NCAA) elite eight and then compared to last year, when he went to the NIT. So, I seen the good and the bad. I tried to set the good example for the rest of the guys, so they can, you know, learn faster, kind of speed up that process.”
On the good things he’s already seeing from the team this early…
“I would say how, what's the word, like, we got a little bit of everything. I feel like we can shoot, we got length, we got speed, athleticism. We got, you know, good point guards that can handle the ball. I feel like we're really all around, versatile. That's the word I was looking for, really versatile. So that's what I'm really liking.”
On his decision to stay at K-State for three years…
“I would say coaching staff. Obviously, with me graduating, I had the chance to, you know, go somewhere else and explore a little bit, but I don't feel like there will be a better place out there for me. I feel like coaches got my back, like Dug was saying, I've seen that the past two years, they go all out, and that makes it easy for you to do it for them on the floor.”
JUNIOR GUARD DUG MCDANIEL
On his first impressions of the K-State team…
“I was excited, you know. We may not have the big names that everybody expected, but, you know, we have a lot of great dudes and leading up to the season, you know, we gonna find a way to mesh it, make it work, and we're gonna be really good this year.”
On how his skills fit in with the team…
“I think it fits in great. You know, I kind of could get back to my strengths of being a pass first guard, getting my teammates involved. You know, I got a lot of great weapons around me and I can't wait to get back to my original game.”
On his role as a pass first guard…
“Most definitely, most definitely. Going into the portal I made an emphasis to, you know, be around a lot of great guys that could take the pressure off me. Because just knowing me, knowing how I grew up, if you really know me, know I don't want to score the ball all the time, I'm trying to get others involved. My highlight plays, making a pass for my teammates, so now I kind of could get back to the flow of that. It's gonna be a really great season for me, and you know, we're gonna win a lot.”
On his dog mentality…
“You know, I'm proud of my environment, that's the most I can say. You know, growing up where I'm from, you got to be tough to survive. So, you know, just having that dog mentally and carrying it on to the court, you know, sometimes you feel unstoppable out there. And you know, I'm the shortest guy, so I got to work extra hard. And, you know, dogs pretty small, but, you know, they pack a punch. So, I try to, you know, make that my identity.”
On Jerome Tang being the first coach to contact him while in the transfer portal…
“I was really surprised, you know. I entered the portal, I sat down on my couch, my phone wrung, I got back up immediately, answer the phone, it was coach Reem (Jareem Dowling). He said, ‘I got somebody for you, coach Tang,’ got on the phone. This was on a Monday, by the way. And then that same Thursday, both of them were at my house, you know, meeting me face to face. So, from that moment on, I already knew, like these guys were serious about this. And you know, as we kept going along, in the process, it just kept getting better. Now, I'm home.”
On the coaching staff relating him to Markquis Nowell…
“They mentioned him a few. But, you know, I feel like we share a similar traits, but we two totally different players. So, you know, I feel like they just trying to focus on me being the best me, you know, instead of me trying to be somebody else and just be the best Dug.”
On seeing his improvement on defense with these coaches…
“Most definitely, you know, I feel like that comes with being around great players that can take upon some of the other struggles that I had to do. You know, I have fresher legs, I have to make multiple plays and I could really focus on my task at hand. And, you know, defense has definitely been an emphasis in my going to the portal, like I want to show teams that I could play defense. And I feel like my defense got very better, coach U (Ulric Maligi) we watched a lot of film on it, and I can’t wait for the season. You know, I’m chasing player of the year, defensive player of the year, no question.”
On what he remembers from playing Coleman Hawkins at Illinois while at Michigan…