Why Jerome Tang's decision to sit Will McNair had nothing to do with basketball
MANHATTAN (KSNT) - After starting six of the Wildcats' first seven games of the 2023-24 season, K-State forward Will McNair did not get into the game on Saturday.
McNair was in uniform and appeared to be fully healthy, even getting some work on the court after K-State's narrow overtime win against North Alabama.
Tang was asked after the game about the reason behind McNair's absence.
"Coaches decision, he put it in my hands so I made the decision," Tang said. "We have this saying that, 'Tough people do the next right thing' and guys got to, when they mess up, they have to do the next right thing. Unfortunately, he didn't."
Tang's response would indicate that the decision was not related to his on-court performance. It also does not seem to be something serious enough to warrant the 'Cats being without the veteran big-man long-term.
"It's not something that's major, ya'll might think I was crazy," Tang said. "I know he has to grow in some areas to help him for the rest of his life. What I do is about more than just trying to win basketball games. Obviously I know if I don't win I'm going to get fired, I got that."
The decision stems from a desire to prepare his players to be successful beyond the game of basketball, Tang says.
"I can live with myself if I make the best decision for these young men to help them grow and become great husbands and great fathers and we don't win basketball games," Tang said. "I can't live with myself if I just use them to win basketball games and then they go off from here and they can't be productive citizens and great husbands and great fathers."
The team, beyond McNair, is still a work in progress. Tang says there is still lots of learning going on.
"It's not a basketball thing, it's a character thing," Tang said when asked where the 'Cats can improve the most. "It's not major character things, it's little things that cause things to go wrong... Each guy has to decide that being a part of this team and this program and winning basketball games is more important than themselves."
K-State is 6-2 on the season and has a chance to pick up its biggest win yet this season against No. 18 Villanova on Tuesday, Dec. 5.