ANTHONY GORGES
Hutch Post
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Day 2 of Big 12 Media Days at T-Mobile Center featured eight more teams: Arizona, BYU, Houston, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, UCF and West Virginia. The other eight teams and Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark delivered their remarks Tuesday.
Kansas State Wildcats Highlights
Representing Kansas State at Big 12 Media Days were new head coach Casey Alexander, junior forward Isaiah Abraham, a transfer from Georgetown, and senior guard Brandon Rechsteiner, a transfer from Colorado State.
“It’s been a great offseason, but a long offseason,” Alexander said. “The best part is right in front of us.”
Alexander was hired March 13, 2026, leaving his alma mater, Belmont, to take the job at Kansas State. He was asked about his decision to leave Belmont and why Kansas State was the right fit.
“You know, Manhattan’s a special place,” Alexander said. “A lot of pride in the purple. And love being at a place where people really care about their team and excited to be a part of that.”
Kansas State has just one returning player from last season’s roster: sophomore guard Andrej Kostic. Alexander said having a new coach and a largely new roster has made it easier for players to learn his system together.
“The benefit is that everybody’s learning at the same time,” he said. “One good thing about the portal these days is you can go find guys that fit how you play and what you want to be on and off the floor. I think our staff did a really nice job of doing that, and these guys have done a great job of taking ownership that is required from that.”
Despite the roster turnover, Alexander said team chemistry and bonding are in a good place.
“I have zero concerns about the chemistry or culture of our team. That’s a pretty unique place to be, especially with a brand new roster and brand new place,” he said.
Kansas State will host Missouri for an exhibition game Friday at 7 p.m. at Bramlage Coliseum.
Big 12 Media Days Notes from the League
Women’s Notes
- Eight Big 12 teams qualified for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, tying the league record.
- The Big 12 recorded 10 triple-doubles last season, the most by any conference in a single season in NCAA history.
- The 2026 Big 12 Tournament championship game was the most-watched in league history and had the highest attendance since 2013.
- Viewership for regular-season conference play increased 35% year over year.
- The conference produced five WNBA Draft selections in consecutive seasons for the first time in five years.
- TCU’s Olivia Miles, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, was unanimously named WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Men’s Notes
- The Big 12 set a league record with 13 selections in the 2026 NBA Draft.
- The top two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft were Big 12 players: AJ Dybantsa of BYU, selected by the Washington Wizards, and Darryn Peterson of Kansas, selected by the Utah Jazz.
- The Big 12 is the only conference with a team in each of the last two Final Fours.
- Four Big 12 schools have appeared in the national championship game since 2019.
- The Big 12 opens the season with five teams ranked in the top 12 of the KenPom rankings, the most of any conference.
- For the second consecutive season, the nation’s top two recruits will compete in the Big 12: Tyran Stokes of Kansas and Caleb Holt of Arizona.
- Big 12 viewership increased 19% during conference play last season and 25% for the Big 12 Tournament.
- The Big 12 Tournament championship game was the most-watched in tournament history, with 3.1 million viewers.