K-State Introduces the 2025-26 WildcatsPronunication Guide
- Abdi Bashir Jr. > OBB-dee BUH-sheer
- Dorin Buca > DOOR-reen BOO-cah
- Andrej Kostic > Andre (j is silent) COS-titch
- Khamari McGriff > Kuh-MAR-ee
- Elias Rapieque > e-LIE-us RUH-pee-ECK
- Stephen Osei > OH-say
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Fourth-year head coach Jerome Tang has announced the 2025-26 Wildcat men’s basketball team, which includes four returners and 10 newcomers.
K-State welcomes back four returners in senior C.J. Jones (East St. Louis, Ill.), juniors Mobi Ikegwuruka (Galway, Ireland) and Taj Manning (Grandview, Mo.) and sophomore David Castillo (Bartlesville, Okla.). Castillo, Ikegwuruka and Jones are all returning for a second year at K-State, while Manning is entering his fourth year.
The 10 newcomers (listed in alphabetical order) include junior Abdi Bashir Jr. (Omaha, Neb./Monmouth), junior Dorin Buca (Perugia, Italy/Akern Libertas Livorno), junior P.J. Haggerty (Crosby, Texas/Memphis), senior Marcus Johnson (Akron, Ohio/Bowling Green), senior Nate Johnson (Liberty Township, Ohio/Akron), freshman Andrej Kostic (Belgrade, Serbia/Crvena zevda Meridan bet Beograd), senior Khamari McGriff (Tallahassee, Fla./UNC Wilmington), sophomore Stephen Osei (Toronto, Ontario/Casper College), junior Elias Rapieque (Berlin, Germany/ALBA Berlin), and freshman Exavier Wilson (Columbia, Mo./Father Tolton Catholic).
The newcomer class includes three seniors (M. Johnson, N. Johnson and McGriff), four juniors (Bashir, Buca, Haggerty and Rapieque), one sophomore (Osei) and two freshmen (Kostic and Wilson). There are five Division I transfers (Bashir, Haggerty, M. Johnson, N. Johnson and McGriff), one junior college transfer (Osei), one from the high school ranks (Wilson) and three international players (Buca, Rapieque and Kostic). It marks the first time in school history that K-State has had a player from Germany (Rapieque), Italy (Buca) and Serbia (Kostic).
“I'm excited about this group,” said Tang. “They are high character, hardworking, a mature group. They take their craft seriously. They understand that how they do anything is how they do everything. They take care of business in the classroom, they conduct themselves right off the floor, and then when we step on the floor, they really get after it, and they like each other and they're fun to be around. And so, regardless of the results of what happens with the season, we're going to be able to enjoy this journey together.”
The newcomer profiles are listed in alphabetical order followed by individual quotes from Tang.
Abdi Bashir Jr. [pronounced OBB-dee BUH-sheer]
(6-7, 175, Jr.-TR, G, Omaha, Neb./PHHoenix Prep/Monmouth)
[Rating: 4-star / 94.36 Rivals | 4-star / 93 On3 | 4-star / 94 247Sports]
Bashir arrives at K-State after two seasons (2023-25) at Monmouth, where he scored nearly 900 points (872) on 37.8 percent (298-of-789) shooting from the field, including 38.4 percent (178-of-463) from 3-point range, and 86 percent (98-of-114) from the free throw line. He scored in double figures in 36 of 66 career games at Monmouth, including 14 20-point games and five 30-point games. He scored a career-high 38 points at Rutgers on Nov. 15, 2024, on 11-of-23 field goals, including 10-of-17 from 3-point range. It was the most points scored by an opponent against the Scarlet Knights since 1977.
Bashir was one of the top scorers in the country in 2024-25, leading the CAA in scoring at 20.1 points per game while was 16th in scoring and 25th in total points (663) nationally. He posted five 30-point games, which tied for the most in program history. He was named First Team All-CAA, becoming the fourth sophomore in school history to earn First Team honors.
A big threat from 3-point range, Bashir led the nation in 3-point field goals/game (3.85) while was second in total 3-point field goals (127) and 3-point field goals attempted (332) in 2024-25. He broke both school and conference single-season records for 3-pointers (127).
Bashir was born in Minnesota and raised in Omaha, Neb., before he prepped at PHHoenix Prep in Arizona. His twin brother, Abdul, was the top scorer (27.2 ppg.) in the junior college ranks at Casper College a year ago and currently plays at Auburn.
Head coach Jerome Tang
On what interested the coaches about Abdi Bashir Jr. …
“We were interested in Abdi, first of all, because he was a prolific scorer at Monmouth. His coach there, King Rice, just absolutely loved him. Abdi being from Omaha right up the road was something I think was really exciting for us and for him to be able to play closer to home. Fans are going to fall in love with his infectious smile and the energy he brings every day.”
On how to describe his style of play…
“Abdi’s playing style, best described with one word, he’s a bucket. He can score it from all three levels, and the ball comes out of his hands easily. He has a beautiful shot. He loves making plays for his teammates and his leadership skills are gonna be very evident on the court.”
On what enticed Tang about Abdi Bashir Jr. while recruiting him…
“Abdi started the season last year great at Monmouth putting up big numbers. And his college coach King Rice actually went to the media and announced to all of America, ‘look he’s gonna transfer at the end of the year but leave him alone this season so he can focus on basketball and getting better and his team.’ Man, I thought that was so impressive of both King and Abdi to have that mature approach to it. That was definitely one of the things that enticed me about him is his approach and how he’s very serious about this game.”
Dorin Buca [pronounced DOOR-reen BOO-cah]
(7-2, 254, Jr.-TR, W, Perugia, Italy/Akern Libertas Livorno)
Buca arrives at K-State after playing the past season (2024-25) at Akern Libertas Livorno in the Italian Serie A2, which is in the second-tier of the pro basketball in Italy. He was one of three players to see action in all 43 games with Libertas Livorno, averaging 5.6 points on 60.8 percent (101-of-166) shooting with 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 16.7 minutes per game. He led the team in blocks per game (1.2 bpg.) while he was second in field goal percentage (60.8), third in rebounding (5.3 rpg.) and fourth in field goals made (101). He scored in 38 of 43 games with seven double-digit scoring games with a season-high 15 points vs. Piazenza on March 8.
Buca began his career with Basket Perugia in the Italian Serie C in 2019-20, spending two seasons before moving to Sana Basketball Academy Siena in the Italian Serie C in 2022-23. He was promoted to Libertas 1947 Livorno in the Italian Serie B in 2023-24, where he averaged 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in helping the team to the 2024 Italian Serie B Cup Finals.
Buca holds dual citizenship in Romania and Italy.
Head coach Jerome Tang
On what interested the coaches in Dorin Buca…
“Well, his size, first of all, and then how well he moved for his size, and then he set illegal screens. And so, he wasn't afraid of contact. He's played in Europe for a while and moved up in the league to a higher level to better competition, and got most improved player, which meant that he's just continuing to get better and better and better. And we learned this a long time ago that big guys get better later, so his best basketball is ahead of him, and the fact that he wants to get better, and he's got a great work ethic. Everyone, all his coaches, raved about his work ethic and people around him that watched him play and scouts over there had great things to say about him. I got on a Zoom with him, and he was fun to talk to. He made me laugh. I made him laugh. He has just a terrific story.”
On how to describe his style of play…
“He’s a big, physical presence with good touch around the rim. He really can go over either shoulder. He’s someone who has played in a situation (in Europe) where he had a role and he had to execute that role in order to play, and he was willing to buy into his role and execute it to allow his team to be successful and stay on the floor.”
P.J. Haggerty
(6-4, 195, Jr.-TR, G, Crosby, Texas/Crosby/TCU/Tulsa/Memphis)
[Rating: 5-star / 98.46 Rivals | 4-star / 97 On3 | 5-star / 99 247Sports]
Haggerty arrives at K-State after one season (2024-25) at Memphis, where he became the first Tiger since 2008 to be named an AP All-American while earning consensus Second Team All-America honors. He was also selected as the AAC Player of the Year and the Most Outstanding Player of the AAC Championship en route to leading Memphis to 29 wins, both the AAC regular season and tournament championships and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Haggerty has scored more than 1,400 points (1,433) in 72 games and 66 starts in his college career, which has included one-year stints at TCU (2022-23), Tulsa (2023-24) and Memphis. He has averaged nearly 20 points per game in his career, including better than 21 points per game in each of the last past two seasons at Tulsa and Memphis. He is the only Division I player to average at least 21 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game in each of the last two seasons.
Haggerty has connected on 48.4 percent (452-of-934) of his field goals in his career, including 33.2 percent (61-of-184) from 3-point range, and 79.1 percent (468-of-592) from the free throw line. He has averaged 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 2,381 minutes played.
Haggerty has scored in double figures in 64 of 72 career games with 25 games of 25 or more points, including two 30-point games and one 40-point games in his career. He scored a career-high and AAC Championship-tying 42 points vs. Wichita State on March 14 in the quarterfinals of the AAC Championship on 16-of-25 field goals and 10-of-11 free throws.
Haggerty ranked third nationally in both scoring (21.7 ppg.) and total points (759) in 2024-25. His 759 points were an AAC single-season record and the most since Dajuan Wagner (762) set the school single-season record in 2001-02. He has also ranked in the top-3 nationally in both free throws made and attempted in the past two seasons, including second in attempts (309) and third in makes (237) in 2023-24 and second in both makes (224) and attempts (274) in 2024-25.
Last season, Haggerty became the first Division I player to average at least 21.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game to go with 6.5 free throws per game since Ja Morant in 2018-19.
Prior to his time at Memphis, Haggerty played the 2023-24 season at Tulsa, where he earned Kyle Macy National Freshman of the Year and unanimous AAC Freshman of the Year honors.
Head coach Jerome Tang
On what interested the coaches about P.J. Haggerty…
“It was very easy to be interested in P.J. Haggerty. This is actually the third time I’m recruiting him. I recruited him for a little bit when I was at Baylor when he’s coming out of high school. I’ve known him for a while since he actually grew up in a town just right down the road from where my wife grew up. So, we’re real excited to have him be a part of the program.”
On how to describe his style of play…
“PJ’s style of play is aggressive and attack. I think those two words describe him, while he’s playing downhill he’s trying to get to the rim, get to the free throw line. Big time shot maker and then he makes the game easier for his teammates.”
On what excites him about the upcoming season with P.J. Haggerty…
“Anytime you get to have an All-American with a ball in his hands in your backcourt as a coach it gets you very excited and as fans we should be super excited about the opportunity to cheer P.J. on this year and the rest of the Wildcats.”
Marcus Johnson
(6-7, 265, Jr.-TR, W, Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary/Wheeling/Bowling Green)
[Rating: 4-star / 91.38 Rivals | 4-star / 91 On3]
Johnson arrives at K-State coming off a career season at Bowling Green in 2024-25, in which, he ranked sixth in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in scoring (16.2 ppg.) while scoring in double figures in 26 of 32 games played with 13 games of 20 or more points. In total, he ranked in the MAC’s top-15 in four other categories, including first in free throw percentage (89.8), fourth in 3-point field goals made (78), ninth in 3-point field goal percentage (39.4) and 14th in minutes (31.4).
Johnson has scored nearly 1,900 points (1,865) in his college career in 107 games and 80 starts in his college career, which has included one season (2021-22) at NJCAA’s Parkland College and two seasons (2022-24) at Division II Wheeling College. He has scored more than 1,600 points (1,627) at the Division I and/or II ranks in 88 career games with 86 starts at Wheeling and Bowling Green with three consecutive seasons of 500 or more points, including a career-high 582 in 2023-24.
Johnson has connected on 46.8 percent (678-of-1449) shooting from the field, including 40.9 percent (201-of-492) from 3-point range, and 85.8 percent (308-of-359) from the free throw line. He has also averaged 6.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 3,171 minutes played.
Johnson has scored in double figures in 86 of 107 career games at Parkland, Wheeling and Bowling Green, including 42 20-point games and four 30-point games. He scored a career-high 34 points vs. West Virginia State on Feb. 3, 2024, while at Wheeling on 12-of-23 field goals, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range. He posted a Division I scoring high of 28 points vs. Toledo on Jan. 24.
Johnson prepped at famed St. Vincent-St. Mary Catholic High School in Akron, Ohio, where he led the Fighting Irish to back-to-back state championships in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
Head coach Jerome Tang
On what interested the coaches about Marcus Johnson…
“We were very interested in Marcus because we needed a stretch forward. And a forward who could stretch the floor but was a mismatch in the post-up area. Marcus’ quickness, agility and touch are very unique for someone with his size.”
On how to describe his style of play…
“He’s a guard in a forward’s body because he can shoot it, he can handle it and he’s so light on his feet. That a unique quality that’s gonna allow him to be able to always have an advantage offensively on the floor.”
On what excites him about the upcoming season with Marcus…
“I can’t wait to see Marcus in uniform. Looking forward to the fans getting to enjoy his ability to make shots from a variety of angles and then his ability to score on the block. But also, the infectious smile that he brings to the court and the energy that he plays with.”
Nate Johnson
(6-3, 215, Sr.-TR, G, Liberty Township, Ohio/Lakota East/Akron)
[Rating: 4-star / 95.18 Rivals | 4-star / 94 On3 | 4-star / 95 247Sports]
Johnson arrives at K-State after three seasons (2022-25) at Akron, where he was a part of 74 wins, three Mid-American Conference Championships (one regular season (2025) and two tournament titles (2024, 2025) and two NCAA Tournament appearances (2024, 2025).
Johnson has scored more than 800 points (812) in 92 games and 60 starts in his college career, connecting on 44.9 percent (295-of-657) from the field, including 33 percent (77-of-233) from 3-point range, and 78.4 percent (145-of-185) from the free throw line. He has also averaged 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 2,285 minutes played.
Johnson has scored in double figures in 40 games with five 20-point games and one 30-point game in his career. He scored a career-high 31 points in the Zips’ win over Toledo on March 14 in the semifinals of the MAC Tournament on 10-of-16 field goals.
Johnson is coming off a career year in 2024-25, in which, he became the first player in Akron history to be named both the MAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season and the first since Ball State’s Bonzi Wells in 1998. In addition, he was selected as the MVP of the MAC Tournament after averaging 18.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in guiding the Zips to their second consecutive tournament championship.
Johnson is one of the active Division I leaders in steals with 123 in his 92-game career, leading the Zips in steals in each of the last three seasons.
Head coach Jerome Tang
On what interested the coaches about Nate Johnson…
“My interest level in Nate Johnson was extremely high not just because he was MAC [Mid-American Conference] Player of the Year, but he was also the [MAC] Defensive Player of the Year. He’s so versatile he can play any position on the floor, his toughness allows him to guard bigger guys, his quickness allows him to guard smaller guys. But it’s his competitiveness that allows him to be victorious in all of those. Having played in two NCAA tournaments the last two years [with Akron] and winning the conference championship he just brings a winner’s mentality and do whatever it takes for the team to win guy.”
On how to describe his style of play…
“Nate’s style of play is unique in that he’s got great physical gifts and that he can put the ball in the hole but he’s also rugged and physical and willing to play with and through contact. And he’s got a dog mentality on the defensive end that he’s gonna make life miserable for you.”
On what excites him about the upcoming season with Nate Johnson…
“Man, we are fired up to have Nate in uniform on the court. It was one of his dreams to play for K-State and to play for me. I look forward to watching him compete at a really high level and bring all kinds of excitement to our fans.”
Andrej Kostic [pronounced ANDRE (j is silent) COS-titch]
(6-6, 210, Fr.-TR, G, Belgrade, Serbia/Crvena zveda Meridan bet Beograd)
Considered one of the top prospects in Europe, Kostic arrives at K-State after developing at the KK Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Beograd organization in Serbia since 2022-23. He made his debut with KK Crvena Zvezda U19 team in 2023-24 before playing for KK Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Beograd (2023-25) and KK Dynamic Vip Pay Beograd (2024-25). This past season, he played in 29 games for KK Dynamic in the Basketball League of Serbia (KLS), which is a top-tier professional league, averaging 16.4 points on 43.2 percent shooting with 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
A member of the Serbian U18 and U19 National Teams, winning the gold medal at the 2023 European U18 Championship in Nils, Serbia and a silver medal at the 2024 European U18 Championship in Tampere, Finland. He played for Serbia at the 2025 U19 World Cup that ran from June 28 to July 6 in Laussane, Switzerland. He helped the Serbia team to three straight wins to end the tournament, averaging 23.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in that span.
Kostic earned all-tournament honors at the 2025 Adidas Eurocamp May 31 to June 2 in Treviso, Italy, which serves as the premier pre-draft scouting event for players ages 16-22. He also played in the 2024 Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Belgrade, averaging 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals in four games as his team reached the finals.
Head coach Jerome Tang
On what interested the coaches about Andrej Kostic…
“The sport of basketball is global and there are kids all over the world that are playing this game and we’re looking to bring the very best to Manhattan, Kansas, and be a part of our family. So, learning about Andrej and not just talent but his drive to be one of the best ever to play the game was very intriguing to me.”
On how to describe his style of play…
“At 6-foot-6 and the ability to play the point guard position, Andrej’s play style is just fun. There’s nothing on the court that he can’t do, and he plays with supreme confidence. He’s got a baby face, but man he’s got a killer heart.”
On what enticed Tang about Andrej while recruiting him…
“Well, what’s interesting about Andrej is that from a very young age he’s been playing at the professional level and having to compete against people way older than him. He’s never backed down from anything and just has supreme confidence.”
Khamari McGriff [pronounced Kuh-MAR-ee]
(6-9, 230, W, Sr.-TR, Tallahassee, Fla./James S. Rickards/UNC Wilmington)
[Rating: 3-star / 89 Rivals | 3-star / 89 On3]
McGriff arrives at K-State after four seasons (2021-25) at UNC Wilmington, where he was part of 99 wins, three Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Championships (two regular season (2022, 2025) and one tournament title (2025), a College Basketball Insider (CBI) Tournament championship (2022) and one NCAA Tournament appearance (2025).
McGriff has scored more than 500 points (539) in 85 career games and 42 starts in his college career, connecting on 67.9 percent (224-of-330) from the field and 67.4 percent (89-of-132) from the free throw line. His scoring ability increased each season at UNCW capped by his 11.5 points per game average as a junior in 2024-25.
McGriff has scored in double figures in 23 games with one 20-point game and one 30-point game in his career. He posted a career-high 34 points at Howard on Dec. 14, 2024, connecting on 14-of-16 field goals and 5-of-8 free throws in 30 minutes.
McGriff emerged as one of the top sixth men in the CAA in 2024-25, averaging 11.5 points on 65.1 percent shooting, while leading the league in field goal percentage (64.1) in conference-only games. He was selected to the All-CAA Tournament team after averaging 11.7 points on 63.2 percent shooting with 5.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.
Head coach Jerome Tang
On what interested the coaches about Khamari McGriff…
“Our interest in Khamari was because of his versatility at the forward spot, his ability to be a rim protector, run the floor and finish in transition. He’s excellent at the pick-n-roll. He’s also just a winner. He played in the NCAA Tournament last year and his team at UNC Wilmington was just super competitive. We’re excited about him being here.”
On how to describe his style of play…
“Khamari’s a long athletic forward. He was actually 2-for-3 from 3 last year so I told him he didn’t shoot enough 3’s. Big time finisher in traffic and then he’s just a high energy guy.”
On what enticed Tang about Khamari while recruiting him…
“When Khamari got in the portal, obviously we knew what we needed on our end, just more versatility at the forward spot but really we needed leadership and maturity, and he brings that to the table. Just a mature young man who is very focused about his craft and getting better but also understand the big picture that it takes a team, and we need everybody holding the rope and he’s committed to helping get that done.”
Stephen Osei [pronounced OH-say]
(6-10, 200, W, So.-TR, Toronto, Ontario/NBA Academy/Casper College [Wyo.])
Osei arrives at K-State after one season (2024-25) season at Casper College from the junior college ranks in Casper, Wyo. He averaged 11.0 points on a team-leading 63.8 percent (113-of-177) shooting to go with 7.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in his lone season.
Osei scored in double figures in 15 of 26 games played with three 20-point games. He scored a season-high 23 points twice at Casper, including vs. Yavapai College on Nov. 18, 2024, and vs. Lamar Community College on Jan. 11. He also collected seven double-doubles, including a 23-point, 11-rebound performance vs. Yavapai.
Osei played alongside future teammate Abdi Bashir Jr’s twin brother, Abdul, at Casper.
Osei has international experience, having played for the Canadian U17 and U16 National Teams at the 2021 FIBA U16 Americas Championship and 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup.
Head coach Jerome Tang
On what interested the coaches about Stephen Osei…
“Watching Stephen on film, he just popped off the screen. I was impressed with his athleticism and his ability to run the floor but also his hands and feet and how light he was. Watching him play it really intrigued us as a young man that had a high ceiling.”
On how to describe his style of play…
“He’s a rim-runner, shot blocker, lob-catcher, but he’s also got a skill package that’s gonna allow him to be able to dribble, pass and shoot and be somewhat of a playmaker down the road.”
On what excites him about Stephen being on the team…
“Really excited to be able to work with Stephen over the next few years and help him develop. He’s got a really high ceiling, and he’s really committed to being the best version of himself and really looking forward to watching him develop.”
Elias Rapieque [pronounced e-LIE-us RUH-pee-ECK]
(6-9, 225, Jr.-TR, Berlin, Germany/ALBA Berlin)
Rapieque arrives at K-State after developing in the ALBA Berlin organization since 2021-22. He played in 53 games with ALBA Berlin between the EuroLeague (27 games) and the German Basketball Bundesliga, which is the highest-level league of pro basketball in Germany, in 2024-25. He also played in eight games for SSV Lokomotive Bernau in the German Pro B.
Rapieque averaged 3.5 points on 39.5 percent (32-of-81) shooting with 2.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.5 steals in 26 games with ALBA in the German BBL. He averaged 4.2 points on 41.8 percent (46-of-110) shooting with 2.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.6 steals in 27 games with ALBA in the EuroLeague. He scored in 22 games, twice scoring in double figures, including a season-high 14 points vs. M. Tel-Aviv on Nov. 28, 2024, on 5-of-8 field goals.
Rapieque averaged 18.1 points on 47.7 percent (51-of-107) shooting, including 37.2 percent (16-of-43) from 3-point range, with 7.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.4 steals per game in the eight games with SSV Lokomotive Bernau. He scored in double figures in all eight games played, including four games of 20 or more points, with a season-high 27 points vs. ETB Miners on Feb. 15.
A member of the German U18 and U20 National Teams, Rapieque played at the 2022 European U18 Championship as well as 2023 and 2024 European U20 Championship.
Head coach Jerome Tang
On what interested the coaches about Elias Rapieque…
“Man, my interested in Elias started by watching film of him. His ability to pass the basketball, how easy it came out of his hands, and he just seemed to make the other players on the floor better. It reminded me of Royce O’Neale who I coached at Baylor and plays with the Phoenix Suns. Just his passing ability, his versatility and his toughness.”
On how to describe his style of play…
“He’s a jack of all trades. It doesn’t matter, he can be an elite role player, or he can be the go-to guy, which he’s done with the club he played at in Germany. When he’s on the second team he’s the go-to guy averaging 20 points a game. When he moved up to the EuroLeague team, the top team there, then he had a role, had to defend, rebound and move the ball, and set screens. So, he’s done it all, so the adjustment to college basketball is going to be a lot easier for him.”
On what excites him about the upcoming season with Elias…
“I’m so excited for Elias to be here and experience this wonderful city of Manhattan and our terrific fans. And for our fans to see him play, he’s just so much fun to watch and he’s so much fun to play with that the players around him are going to be better because he’s on the court.”
Exavier Wilson
(6-1, 170, Fr.-HS, Columbia, Mo./Father Tolton Catholic)
[Rating: 3-star / 83.25 Rivals | 3-star / 86 On3 | 3-star / 87 247Sports]
Wilson arrives at K-State after stellar high school career at Father Tolton Catholic in Columbia, Mo., where he was a three-time MBCA Class 4A All-State Team (2023, 2024, 2025). He left among the school’s all-time leaders in points (1,707/2nd), rebounds (487/5th), assists (181/3rd) and steals (187/1st). In fact, his 1,707 career points are second only to the Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr.
In addition to being a three-time all-state selection, Wilson was twice named the MBCA Class 4 District 9 Player of the Year (2024, 2025) and was a three-time member of the Class 4 All-District Team while at Tolton. He was also a finalist for the IQHOOPZ Missouri Player of the Year.
Wilson led the Trailblazers to the semifinals of the 2023 MSHSAA Class 4 State Tournament and to the quarterfinals of the 2024 and 2025 MSHSAA Class 4 State Tournament. He averaged 20.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists as a senior in 2024-25.
Head coach Jerome Tang
On what interested the coaches about Exavier Wilson…
“We’re always looking for players that have a high ceiling and are super, super competitive, and man, Exavier fits that to a tee. He’s a dynamic guard, he’s got great legs, plays at a terrific pace. He can really score the ball, so being right there in Columbia, Missouri, his high school team, he was always up for every challenge that was put in front of him.”
On how to describe his style of play…
“Exavier’s play style reminds me of a young man that we coached when I was at Baylor named Curtis Jerrells who was an All-Big 12 player. He can score at all three levels, his mid-range game, he’s a killer in the mid-range. And then he’s got dynamite in his legs that he can rise up and dunk on you. In fact, when I went to watch him play he tried to dunk on a 7-footer. Just a really dynamic guard who can score at a high level.”
On Exavier’s personality off the court…