Walk-on guard Mason Schoen carves out leadership role as K-State’s lone senior

When Mason Schoen talks his teammates listen.

Even though he is a walk-on senior with 10 points, four rebounds and four assists to his name as a Kansas State basketball player, he has carved out a valuable leadership role with the Wildcats.

How? Start with hard work.

Schoen is an early-riser. Always has been. Go back to his freshman year of college, before K-State coach Bruce Weber offered him a roster spot, and he was at the student recreation complex before dawn putting up shots, working on his handle and lifting weights. After a full day of classes, he often returned for pick-up games – all in pursuit of intramural glory.

That dedication led to some fraternity trophies and eventually earned him a tryout with Weber. Four years later, Schoen’s coaches urge him to be as vocal as possible.

“Before the season I told him, ‘It would be great if you can say something important off and on,’” Weber said. “‘They all respect you for how hard you work and how loyal you have been.’”

It’s not easy to lead from the bench, but Schoen has found a way to do exactly that.

Barry Brown, Kamau Stokes and Dean Wade lead on the court as juniors, but even they need guidance from older players. That’s where Schoen, the team’s only senior, steps in. He has embraced the biggest role possible without making big plays in games.

“Mason is definitely one of our leaders,” Stokes said. “Mason is the only senior on this team and that means a lot, because Mason pushes us in practice and is real vocal. He holds us all accountable.”

An Overland Park native, he grew up a K-State fan and wanted to play for the Wildcats after attending his first game at the age of 6. He puts the team first. Helping K-State win, even in small ways, is a thrill.

“Every day, I make it my goal to lead this team in the best possible sense,” Schoen said. “Whether that be on the court, in the class room, in the weight room or anywhere else.”

Schoen accepts his role, works hard in practice and helps out when he can.

His basketball IQ sets him apart. Though he has an undergraduate degree in finance and is working toward another business degree, he wants to become a college basketball coach. He hopes to catch on somewhere as a graduate assistant next year and start climbing the ladder.

In some ways, he is already an extension of the K-State coaching staff. Weber likes to call him a “player/coach.”

“He is really intelligent,” Weber said. “And he busts his butt every day to help us.”

If there was any chance of Schoen growing complacent in his final year of college, that was erased when he watched his younger brother, Dalton, emerge as a playmaker with K-State’s football team this season.

Also a walk-on, Dalton defied expectations by catching 23 passes for 470 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore receiver.

Mason may not be able to match that production, but teammates say he has “lit us up” a few times in practice. Last week, he made seven three-pointers during a scrimmage, leading a visiting coach to tell Weber “your scout team is really good.”

“Watching Dalton compete on the field, and not just compete but succeed, really drove me,” Mason said. “I am trying to be the best I can be and take everything I do up a level. He showed he could have success here, and I want to do the same thing.”

The Schoen brothers do what they can to help each other in their sports. Mason often throws passes to Dalton when he needs a quarterback and Dalton goes toe-to-toe with Mason when he needs a basketball opponent.

Helping their teams is always the main goal.

Mason has helped K-State to an 8-2 start and he has 21 games remaining before senior day. Whenever the Wildcats look to him for leadership, he will provide as much of it as he can.

“When I joined this team my goals were to live out a dream and to help as much as I could,” Mason Schoen said. “It’s been everything I wanted and more. I don’t want it to end.”

This story was originally published December 13, 2017 at 4:11 PM with the headline "Walk-on guard Mason Schoen carves out leadership role as K-State’s lone senior."