There comes the end to the long lore of PJ Haggerty and his quest to land a near-impossible deal. For over a month, the guard kept people guessing, one foot in the portal and another in the NBA draft. After the season he had had, either of those would have seemed like an easy slide, but there came the many considerations, offers, and an apparent will to stick to a massive demand. But one blessed coach is hearing some great news right now.
Haggerty was a mammoth at Memphis in the previous season, averaging 21.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while catching 1.8 steals with his brave defense. He was also named the ACC Player of the Year and received second-team All-American honors. Then, at the NBA Draft Combine in May, he turned heads, becoming one of the top-five shooters, hitting 73% of his shots. He would also average 18 points in the warm-up. But recruiters viewed him as a second-round pick. So Haggerty decided on a better path.
The 6’3″ guard from Corsby, Texas, is heading to Kansas State for the 2025-26 season!
Entering the transfer portal, Haggerty had reportedly demanded $4 million in NIL signing. Though not the entire sum, a few programs jumped abroad. Memphis, Ole Miss, and the stronger prospect– NC State. But just when things were expected to be sealed with Will Wade, Haggerty has jumped ship. Though Kansas State is now offering a guaranteed $2 million deal with incentives possibly accumulating to $2.5 million, the star guard’s father was apparently stern on a demand.
“So, Dad goes around and he is talking to these schools, and he is saying we want four, atleast four. Starting point is four. He still thinks it’s still gonna go up from there and he wants to make sure his son plays point guard the majority of the time,” Jeff Goodman had said last month. But given that the programs dropped off the race slowly, the sum has been brought down. And it is not like Kansas State hasn’t dealt with large NIL signings before.
Coleman Hawkins received $2 million in NIL deals to play with the Wildcats last season. Though that did not age well, Haggerty is carrying massive expectations. He will join Nate Johnson, Abdi Bashir Jr., Marcus Johnson, and Khamari McGriff on the list of incoming transfers this season. And when he suits up, Haggerty will be adoring his fourth jersey during his collegiate run: TCU, Tulsa, Memphis, and now Kansas State.
This is a big boost for Jerome Tang and the Wildcats, who went 16-17 in the previous season and missed the NCAA Tournament. He has performed for teams with far-reaching dreams before, but this step could be his chance to shine on a huge stage, with a few referring to him as a “game changer” for the Wildcats’ future.
With fans buzzing over Haggerty’s next step, one coach is gearing up for a game-changing future—here’s why!
New Offensive Coordinator Plans to Shake Things Up for Wildcats
K-State fans are on their feet for a shake-up! Jerome Tang’s new offensive coordinator, Matthew Driscoll, is initiating some key changes to the Wildcats’ game plan. Driscoll, before, was a head coach at North Florida, and he is known for a high-octane, three-pointer-heavy style that had his Ospreys surpass the nation in three-point shot tries. With K-State’s offense facing problems in the past two seasons, ranking 136th and 116th in efficiency, Driscoll’s coming as associate head coach is a huge step to flick the scoreboard.
His plan of execution is about giving the floor and letting it all fly high. At North Florida, his squad shot close to 54% from behind the arc, making 34% of them in the basket. “His ability to develop players,” Tang said, “and implement high-level offensive systems is second to none.” For Kansas, this state shows a transition from a “five out” attack that dragged to turnovers and inconsistent shooting.
This hire is a bold step for Tang to fix what’s been holding K-State back. With his focus on synergy and player development, the program’s hoping to bring back the swagger that had Wildcat Nation roaring during that 2023 Elite Eight run.
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