Kansas State doesn't get a ton of attention from the national media.
But a new CBS Sports article highlighted the Wildcats' basketball squad this season...in the worst possible way.
The news outlet evaluated every team's job this season after making major portal additions this past offseason. And well, they didn't have that much good to say.
The article wrote:
"There is no joy when you are 10-12 with one of the highest budgets in the sport. Injuries parlayed with poor roster-building decisions in the frontcourt have sent this Kansas State train careening off the tracks. Paying up for Abdi Bashir Jr. (a great shooter who can't guard) and Andrej Kostic (a great shooter who can't guard), parlayed with Tyreek Smith not getting a waiver to play, is just too much to overcome. PJ Haggerty can create 33 points a game for the rest of the season, and it still might not matter. Conclusion: Yikes."
CBS gave Kansas State the worst review of any Big 12 team, fitting for a unit currently last in the conference right now.
The NCAA Tournament hopes for them at the beginning of the year have been gutted, as the Wildcats are probably just looking to stay above .500 at this rate. An already-disastrous start only took a turn against Utah when starters and major rotational pieces fell to injury. The team is at its darkest point in recent memory, falling to Iowa State by 34 at home with no positive outlook for the near future.
The Wildcats still have a month, but outside of a sudden dominant run, they don't have the resume or success to truly contend. PJ Haggerty has averaged 23.0 points this season, the third-highest scoring average in the country. However, individual impact hasn't overcome the lack of team cohesion, which has only worsened with rotational players having starting roles in the middle of the season.
Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor asks for fans' patience as the organization begins the season slowly.
"I just let them know that we’re here and that we understand that it’s not easy," Taylor said in an interview with 12 News Sports. "We understand the fans' frustration, and we get it. They just need to know that if they need to vent or talk, that’s what we’re here for. But I’m not a basketball coach, and they’re with [the players] every day. I trust that they’ll try to find a way to get them back on the right track."
The Wildcats head to TCU (13-9, 3-6 in Big 12) on Saturday afternoon.