How Deion Sanders is helping Jerome Tang create championship expectations at K-State
Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang wore a stylish pair of sunglasses that were gifted to him by Deion Sanders as he talked about the Wildcats and their upcoming season on Wednesday at Big 12 Media Day.
He looked good and he definitely felt good.
“It’s a pleasure to be here,” he said. “I am a little bit more comfortable than last year.”
That much was clear when Tang began talking about the expectations he has for this K-State basketball roster. A year ago, he refused to make any predictions in a public setting and only privately admitted that he hoped the Wildcats could sneak into the NCAA Tournament as a low seed.
Now, he realizes he was setting the bar too low. He is thinking differently after he coached the Wildcats to 26 victories and a trip to the Elite Eight during his first season in Manhattan. This year, he wants more. And he isn’t afraid to talk about that in front of microphones and cameras.
That is where the Deion Sanders sunglasses come in. They met last week in Colorado, and Sanders gave Tang a few pointers on how to raise expectations.
“I wanted to learn more,” Tang said. “I wanted to expand what I was doing, because there is a fine line between going from good to great. I thought we were good, but I want to be great. I want to be around great people. I had an opportunity to meet with Deion and find out about roster management, staff management and things like that.
“Then how to take our brand, the K-State brand, and not just make it national, because it already is, but make it global. I believe I am at the best place in the world. We can win national championships and compete for national championships every year.”
It isn’t easy for Tang to talk such a big game, but he thinks it is the right thing to do with this team, which will look to replace Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson with talented transfers Tylor Perry and Arthur Kaluma.
“I heard a quote that a small vision is an insult to a big God,” Tang said. “I felt like I underestimated or set the bar a little too low for the guys last year and I don’t want to do that again. I’d rather shoot for the stars and land on the moon.”
There are several reasons for Tang and K-State fans to believe in these Wildcats, even though they must replace their two best players from a year ago.
Important starters Cam Carter, David N’Guessan and Nae’Qwan Tomlin are back for Year 2 under Tang. They will have new weapons around them.
Perry is one of the best three-pointers shooters in the country, and he helped North Texas win the NIT last year. Kaluma is a talented wing who helped Creighton reach the Elite Eight last season.
Tang is also changing the K-State offense to a “five-out” look that will feature one big man and a never-ending rotation of guards and wings on the perimeter that he thinks will serve this team well.
Most importantly, the Wildcats believe in themselves.
“We have stickers of Phoenix and the Final Four everywhere in the locker room,” N’Guessan said. “That is the place we all want to go. I feel like if you set low expectations for yourself you aren’t going to be able to reach new goals. I like that we are dreaming about the biggest thing possible.”
The entire team wants to be wearing sunglasses in Phoenix next April.
“They got to the Elite Eight last year and that’s the bar they set,” Perry said. “It’s been a long time since K-State has broken through that wall and gotten over that hump, but I think we have the team to do it.”
This story was originally published October 18, 2023 at 2:22 PM.