It’s becoming easy to see why Jerome Tang has a ‘man crush’ on this K-State freshman
Jerome Tang doesn’t need many words to explain why he was convinced that Dai Dai Ames could eventually become a star basketball player at Kansas State.
“I’ve had a man crush on Dai Dai ever since I first saw him,” Tang will respond with a smile.
Tang saw so much potential in Ames that he made him one of his first long-term recruiting priorities after he was hired at Kansas State two years ago. If Tang could convince Ames to enroll at K-State, there was no doubt in his mind that good things would follow.
Many others are probably starting to think the exact same thing now that Ames has become a valuable member of the K-State roster. The freshman guard has started 11 straight games for the Wildcats, and he was at his best during an important 78-74 win over Texas in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday at T-Mobile Center.
Ames erupted for 10 points, all in the second half, and greatly aided his teammates as K-State battled back from a 10-point deficit at halftime. The come-from-behind victory allowed the Wildcats to advance to the quarterfinals of this event and keep their hopes of reaching the NCAA Tournament alive.
He found his offensive groove and delivered a valuable stat line by draining jumpers and getting to the basket for layups. He gave his team a surprise lift when it needed help the most.
“That was big time,” K-State forward David N’Guessan said. “I’m just proud of him in general. He has been playing great lately. Today he showed out as a freshman in the biggest moment of the season. He stepped up and we really needed every single point we got from him.”
Other K-State players were also quick to praise Ames. This felt like the moment he stopped playing like a freshman and began looking like a dependable contributor.
“Dai Dai has been huge for us,” Arthur Kaluma said. “Even in practice you can tell he always has that dog in him. For him to come out here and perform like that on the big stage, I’m just proud of my guy.”
“This is just the tip of the iceberg for him,” Tylor Perry added. “He played in his first Big 12 Tournament game and had zero turnovers. You don’t get that from a freshman too many times.”
It came as no surprise, then, that the Wildcats collectively picked up their game as Ames played more like a seasoned veteran than a rookie. K-State is capable of playing at a higher gear when he provides those kinds of minutes.
It’s exciting to think about what K-State may be capable of moving forward if Ames has tapped into something that he can consistently achieve.
The Wildcats have relied on their big three of Cam Carter, Perry and Kaluma for scoring throughout the entirety of the season. They arguably have four dependable options on offense now that N’Guessan is starting to come into his own. Add Ames into the mix and K-State could look like a different team for the remainder of the season, however long it lasts.
“I have improved my point guard skills for sure,” Ames said. “I was really just being aggressive today, attacking the rim and getting my teammates involved. ... I was playing with a lot of confidence. I wanted to win so bad I just had to do what I had to do.”
The maturation process has begun for Ames.
Tang thought his “man crush” looked like a different player against Texas. He played slow and ran offense when the Longhorns had numbers. He attacked the basket when driving lanes were available. He sent out three assists and didn’t have a single turnover.
He emerged as the surprise hero of this game. But it won’t be a shock if he does it again.
“You see growth every day and you’re just really proud of him,” Tang said. “One thing I know about him is that he’s not afraid. He’s never afraid, and that’s what I love about him.”
This story was originally published March 13, 2024 at 9:59 PM.