It's been a long time since we last heard former Kansas State coach Jerome Tang's name.
It resurged on Tuesday afternoon as he will return to Baylor as the associate head coach. Tang spent 19 years with the team, serving in associate and assistant coach roles under Scott Drew. The two led the Bears to a Tournament title in 2021, which elevated Tang's stock as a potential head coaching candidate.
"Sources: Baylor is finalizing a multi-year deal to hire Jerome Tang as the school’s new associate head coach," ESPN insider Pete Thamel tweeted. "Tang was a long-time Baylor assistant under Scott Drew before taking the Kansas State head job in 2022."
Tang, Drew, and Matthew Driscoll were vital in turning around a program that was a glorified basement dweller for years. In the mid-2000's, the team went from the Big 12's worst to a regular Tournament contender. They had three Elite Eight appearances and five Sweet 16 appearances. Tang eventually left the program in 2022 and landed at Kansas State.
His immediate success in 2023 created a sense of optimism for years to come. The Wildcats went all the way to the Elite Eight, with Tang named the Naismith College and Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Alas, it all went down from there. Each season under Tang got progressively worse despite the increase in talent. The team failed to make the Tournament every season, a damning testament to a team that was projected to be a postseason contender all those years. And 2026 was the icing on the cake.
A unit that was, at worst, anticipated to make the Tournament and rise in the Big 12 had one of the worst seasons in recent memory. The criticism toward Tang increasingly grew with each game, eventually peaking after his blow-up in the Cincinnati loss. He declared that "very few" players would be on the team next season due to their effort and that they "didn't deserve" to wear the uniforms. It was a shocking statement to say in public, especially days after he expressed his pride in the players after consecutive embarrassing blowout losses.
He was fired for cause and had been floating in the job market since. The program has hired Casey Alexander as his replacement, while Tang now returns to his old home.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!
It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!