Kansas State Wildcats head coach Jerome Tang sets up a play in the final seconds of the second half of the NCAA Big 12 basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Kansas State Wildcats at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati on Saturday, March 2, 2024. The Bearcats collected a 74-72 conference win. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jerome Tang Offers Explanation For Coleman Hawkins' Early Struggles For K-State

Originally posted on Kansas State Wildcats on SI
By Anthony Pasciolla | Last updated Nov 22, 2024 10:03 AM ET

The million-dollar man for the Kansas State Wildcats, Coleman Hawkins, is underperforming to start the season.

It was reported he received an NIL deal worth at least $1 million when transferring from the Illinois Fighting Illini, but is not meeting those expectations thus far. In the Wildcats' latest game against Mississippi Valley, Hawkins recorded two points and 13 rebounds on 1 of 11 shooting.

The rather terrible efficiency is still not enough to concern coach Jerome Tang.

"Well, what was lacking is rebounding, and he did it today, and so I'm fine. Brendan [Hausen] was 0-6 from three. Coleman missed some layups. They're gonna make those, right? They're gonna do that because he's a good basketball player," Tang said. "I see him doing it in practice all the time. In fact, he shot the ball better this week than he had up onto that point beforehand."

"So, his missed layups were all right, not all right, but it didn't bother me, because he got us thirteen rebounds and seven or more offensive rebounds, and he hadn't done that all year long, so it's been a point of emphasis," Tang shared. "And so he's gonna be alright."

Kansas State returns to action on Friday evening against the George Washington Colonials.