Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang nabs MAC Player of the Year from transfer portal
Akron guard Nate Johnson, the Mid-American Conference player of the year and defensive player of the year, announced his decision just days after entering the portal on April 17, choosing K-State over interest from Kansas, Kentucky and Indiana, among others.
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Johnson, a 6-foot-3 junior from Liberty Township, Ohio, had a breakout junior season in helping Akron to a 28-7 record that included both MAC regular season and tournament championships and a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He led the Zips in scoring with 14 points per game while averaging 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals.
Johnson scored a career-high 31 points in the MAC Tournament semifinals against Toledo and added 22 points in the championship victory over Miami (Ohio). He scored 13 points in a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Arizona.
Related: Kansas State basketball big men Ugonna Onyenso and Baye Fall enter transfer portal
Related: Kansas State basketball transfer guard Brendan Hausen finds a new home in the Big Ten
Former Akron guard Nate Johnson (34) celebrates during the Mid-American Conference Tournament 2025 championship game against Miami-Ohio at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Johnson has committed to Kansas State for the 2025-26 season.
For the season, Johnson shot 43.9%, but just 30.1% from — a career low — 3-point range while knocking down 80.3% of his free throws.
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Johnson is the third portal addition for the Wildcats, who earlier landed 6-9 forward Khamari McGriff from North Carolina-Wilmington and 6-7 guard Abdi Bashir from Monmouth.
But Tang still has at least three roster spots to fill after losing starting forwards David N'Guessan and Coleman Hawkins to graduation and five players — starting guards Dug McDaniel and Brendan Hausen, forwards Macaleab Rich and Baye Fall, and center Ugonna Onyenso — to the portal. Last week, high school forward Ashton Magee withdrew his commitment, leaving point guard Exavier Wilson as the lone incoming freshman.
The Wildcats still have four players left from last year's roster in guards David Castillo, CJ Johnson, Mobi Ikegwuruka, and forward Taj Manning. Memphis midyear transfer forward Tyreek Smith and starting guard Max Jones also could be back pending waiver decisions from the NCAA.
The transfer portal closes Tuesday, though players who enter by then can sign with a new school after that.
Kansas State basketball roster breakdown
Outgoing transfers
Macacleab Rich, sophomore forward
Brendan Hausen, junior guard (Iowa)
Dug McDaniel, junior guard
Ugonna Onyenso, junior center
Baye Fall, sophomore forward
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Incoming transfers
Abdi Bashir, sophomore guard (Monmouth)
Khamari McGriff, junior forward (UNC-Wilmington)
Nate Johnson, junior guard (Akron)
Incoming freshmen
Exavier Wilson, guard
Returning players
Taj Manning, sophomore forward
CJ Jones, junior guard
Mobi Ikegwuruka, sophomore guard
David Castillo, freshman guard
Max Jones, super-senior guard*
Tyreek Smith, senior forward*
*Pending NCAA eligibility waiver
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State basketball lands top all-around guard from MAC champion
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