WHAT IT MEANS: Ish Massoud enters the transfer portal

Ish Massoud appeared to be a program piece for Jerome Tang but entered the transfer portal after one season under Tang at K-State. Massoud’s decision to enter the transfer portal is potentially a surprise, depending on how you view it. Massoud was one of just two players to return to K-State after Bruce Weber stepped away from the program at the end of the 2021-22 season.

But despite being one of just two returners, Massoud’s role was diminished at K-State in 2022-23, his second season as a Wildcat. In his first season with K-State, Massoud played over 24 minutes per game. But that was reduced to about 15 minutes this season under Tang.

Massoud shot the best percentage of any player on K-State’s roster from 3-point range this season, which included clutch made shots in wins over Baylor and Kansas in the regular season before converting on daggers in the NCAA Tournament vs. Kentucky and Michigan State, helping K-State advance to the Elite Eight.

Despite staying at K-State and committing to Tang, Massoud’s decision to enter the transfer portal means that he is the first player Tang has had to enter the transfer portal since he’s taken over as K-State’s head coach, assuming you don’t count players who left the program before he ever coached at a game on the Bramlage Coliseum sidelines.

Tang has spoken about how he hopes to retain a high percentage of players, much like Baylor did when he was an assistant coach on Scott Drew’s staff. So losing a veteran player to the portal is a hit to Tang’s desire to retain players, but it’s unrealistic to expect any program to not have players enter the transfer portal in today’s college basketball. In 2022, there were 1,649 players entering the transfer portal, it’s not easy for coaches to keep rosters intact. Tang is now finding that out even if on a small scale.

Kansas State needs to add shooting. Massoud wasn’t K-State’s best shooter, but he was their highest percentage, 3-point shooter. Massoud made almost 42 percent of his…


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Author : EMAW Online

Publish date : 2023-04-01 11:28:00

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