@BeddieKU23 said in 2023 Recruiting:
They have a bottom 5 roster in all of Power 5. No idea how he's making lemons into lemonade with 1, 1 big-12 level player on his roster
Not sure KSU's roster is bottom 5 in Power 5.
I'll start with Keyontae Johnson. He was, once upon a time, a top 70 recruit, and the preseason SEC player of the year. He collapsed during an early season game a couple of years ago, and hasn't played since, but if he is healthy and at or near his previous level, he's a guy that could play at just about any P5 school. He's sight unseen, but he's a sleeper that could lift KSU from okay to good.
Anthony Thomas was one of the top juco players in the country. I doubt he's a star, but he will probably be an okay rotation piece. Nae'Qwan Tomlin was another good juco player. Probably another rotation piece.
Ismael Massoud was a three year rotation guy at Wake Forest. David N'guessan was a two year rotation guy at Virginia Tech. Desi Sills was a three year rotation guy at Arkansas.
That's five guys that are legitimate P5 rotation guys that Tang brought in, plus a guy that could be an all conference level talent if he is healthy.
Tykei Greene was second team all conference at Stony Brook. That probably translates to a decent P5 starter. Iyiola was a decent player at Hofstra.
Nowell returns for them and should start. He was solid last year as a starter.
That's 9 guys that can probably play at the P5 level, and that assumes that they don't get anything from Cam Carter (rarely used at Mississippi State last year) or Jerrell Colbert (barely played at LSU last year).
That also assumes they get little or nothing from any of their freshmen.
This team is decent. Easily the best looking roster KSU has had since Barry Brown and Dean Wade left. They should be on the bubble for the tournament, maybe even in easily if Johnson returns to form.
By my count Tang has 5 definite P5 level starters on this roster in Nowell, Johnson, N'guessan, Massoud and Sills. I could see Greene maybe being a starter, but those other 5 guys all started at the P5 level before, so I give them the edge.
This team is MUCH better than before. I wouldn't label them as good yet, but the improvement in the roster is pretty clear. With an easy early schedule, they could be confident coming into conference play. A 9 or 10 see in the tournament seems within reach.