Junior college forward Makol Mawien rounds out K-State’s 2017 recruiting class

As soon as Kansas State’s basketball season came to an end last month, Bruce Weber made it clear the Wildcats needed to add size.

Finding a power forward, preferably a transfer with playing experience at the college level, was his top recruiting priority.

The search ended Sunday when Makol Mawien, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward from New Mexico Junior College, orally committed to K-State while on a recruiting visit to the school. He announced his commitment on Twitter.

“I decided,” Mawien wrote. “I’m going to Kansas State!!”

Mawien averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in junior college last season. He is a redshirt freshman with three years of eligibility remaining. He will be able to play next season for the Wildcats.

Mawien went to high school in Salt Lake City and originally signed with Utah, choosing the Utes over Gonzaga, BYU, Utah State and Boston College. He sat out his lone season in Utah with a redshirt and then transferred to New Mexico JC.

This time around, he chose K-State over Iona and St. Bonaventure.

K-State will round out its 2017 recruiting class with Mawien. The Wildcats had two open scholarships to fill this spring. Amaad Wainright, a sophomore guard from Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, orally committed to K-State on Thursday.

Both players are expected to sign with the Wildcats before the late-signing period ends in May.

Mawien and Wainright join a trio of recruits that signed with K-State last fall. They are center Levi Stockard, forward Nigel Shadd and guard Mike McGuirl.

This story was originally published April 23, 2017 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Junior college forward Makol Mawien rounds out K-State’s 2017 recruiting class."