Since Markquis Nowell led Kansas State basketball to the Elite Eight in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, the Jerome Tang era has drifted off course. The Wildcats have failed to qualify for March Madness in each of the last two years, with the 2024-25 campaign being a particularly bitter pill to swallow. Despite investing heavily in the transfer portal, the team finished just 16-17. Tang is hoping to have more luck in that area this year, however.

PJ Haggerty, a Second-Team All-American and the 2025 AAC Player of the Year, is committing to Kansas State, per On3. Following stints with TCU and Tulsa, the star guard blossomed into a dominant offensive force with Memphis. He averaged 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per contest while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from behind the 3-point line.

Haggerty helped the Tigers bounce back after a disappointing 2023-24 season, but he stumbled down the stretch. The 6-foot-3 Texas native was ice cold from the floor across his last three games, as Memphis suffered yet another early NCAA Tournament exit. He entered the transfer portal in April and considered jumping to the NBA before deciding to return to college for another year.

How PJ Haggerty landed with K-State basketball

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There was growing speculation that Haggerty would jump to NC State to play under new head coach Will Wade, but that seemingly surefire union fell through after the Wolf Pack instead added Texas Tech transfer Darrion Williams. Sometimes, though, an abrupt change in plans can bring long-lasting fortune.

That is what PJ Haggerty and Kansas State basketball are hoping for, at least. A successful run with the Wildcats could rejuvenate Manhattan and his NBA Draft stock. He has tried to find a home over these last few years but has ended up right back in the portal. Perhaps this fourth and final destination is the one that will pave the way for a promising future.

Haggerty headlines a transfer group that also includes imposing forward Marcus Johnson, who came over from Bowling Green. Kansas State reportedly shelled out an NIL (Name Image Likeness) deal worth approximately $2 million to acquire Coleman Hawkins last year. The former Illinois standout scuffled, and the squad did the same. Jerome Tang cannot afford to endure similar issues next season.

The Wildcats' problem extended well beyond Hawkins, so one player alone will not be able to revive this struggling squad. But Haggerty could be a major catalyst for change. The 21-year-old knows the pressure and expectations that will come with his arrival, and he should also understand the potential benefits this new opportunity can bring.