Why Casey Alexander thinks lack of Belmont transfers isn't big deal at K-State
Why Casey Alexander thinks lack of Belmont transfers isn't big deal at K-State
Wyatt D. Wheeler, Topeka Capital-JournalWed, May 6, 2026 at 8:04 AM UTC
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MANHATTAN — When Kansas State hired Casey Alexander as its next basketball coach, the assumption was that he would bring several players with him from his regular-season Missouri Valley Conference champion Belmont roster.
Several players showed they were capable of playing at the high-major level. At the same time, they would arrive in Manhattan already knowing Alexander's offensive and defensive systems, and would accelerate the culture change that Kansas State basketball desperately needed.
Now that it appears Alexander has completed his inaugural Kansas State basketball roster, it is surprising to many that no players have followed him from his previous school.
Alexander doesn't see it as that much of a concern.
"I think there's a lot of familiarity of staff and like-mindedness that we can foster, and I think (the culture) will pretty quickly develop," Alexander said. "Everybody doesn't fit nice and neatly into the same box, but they all chose K-State because of the message that they heard. It'll be about reinforcing that on a daily basis, which will be very important to us."
Of the five Belmont players who entered the transfer portal after Alexander took the K-State job, three were deemed worthy of moving from the mid-majors to a high-major school. That includes Tyler Lundblade (Tennessee), Drew Scharnowski (Duke) and Sam Orme (Nebraska).
Kansas State was interested in the trio, but they chose to play elsewhere for various reasons, whether personal or financial. That pushed Alexander and his staff to look elsewhere, but they still added a handful of players they were plenty familiar with.
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That includes two players out of the Missouri Valley Conference, whom Alexander coached against last season. Former Bradley standout Montana Wheeler had the best game of his career against Belmont, while Murray State transfer Brock Vice was someone Alexander tried recruiting out of high school.
Colorado State transfer Brandon Rechsteiner is also someone Alexander twice attempted to recruit to Belmont, only to land him at K-State. Alexander's friendship with former LSU coach Matt McMahon helped him land Matt Gilhool. The coaching staff's relationships with other recruits, trainers and former coaches also came into play.
"Anytime you have familiarity with someone, because you've played against them or you recruited them previously, you are eliminating a lot of risk in what you're getting," Alexander said. "The more background you have on players, so you can really trust that you're getting what you think you're getting, I think that's important. It eliminates risk on the front end and keeps you from having some problems down the road."
Alexander and his staff will begin building their culture with their new group when workouts can begin on June 1. With only three seniors and the possibility that some may receive a fifth year under potential new NCAA eligibility rules, Alexander hopes to build continuity year-to-year, with retention a priority at Kansas State.
It may not be with his former Belmont players, but Alexander believes everything will go smoothly.
"We'll cover a lot of ground quickly, and we've got a lot to learn," Alexander said. "There's gonna be some surprises along the way, but I think we're off to a really good start."
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Why Kansas State coach isn't concerned about lack of Belmont transfers
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