Even with football season in the books, Kansas State athletics still has a handful of former Wildcats performing at the next level. 

Here’s a look at some former K-State hoopers making professional strides:

Nae’Qwan Tomlin, F, Cleveland Cavaliers 

A former K-State forward, Tomlin went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft but signed a contract last September with the Cavaliers’ G-League team, the Cleveland Charge. 

Tomlin performed well for the Charge, including a game with 21 points and 20 rebounds, which was the first 20-20 game for the Charge since Dean Wade accomplished the feat in 2019. 

Last week, the Cavs needed someone to fill their final roster spot, leading to Tomlin signing a 10-day contract to help fill the void for now. 

“Man, I’m fired up for him,” K-State head coach Jerome Tang said. “… So proud of him, happy for him. It’s incredible to see young men fulfill their dreams.” 

Tang added that several people in the NBA reached out to Tang, interested in what the G-League star could bring to their respective franchises.

“If the Cavs didn’t put him on a 10-day, there was going to be another team that was going to pursue him,” Tang said.

In a matchup last week between the Brooklyn Nets and the Cavs, Tomlin made his official debut. The stretch big man put up three points and one rebound in only three minutes of action. 

In his second game against the New York Knicks, Tomlin put up five points and three rebounds while shooting 50% from the field. The Cavs won both games Tomlin participated in, posting 142 points total against the Knicks. 

Dean Wade, F, Cleveland Cavaliers 

Another former Wildcat who helped the Cavs get the win over the Knicks was Wade. The forward dealt with a knee injury but made a full recovery and returned last week to play against the Knicks. 

“We took a hit defensively without him [Wade],” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We still ended up winning games, but our defense slipped without him so it’s good to have him back.” 

In his return, Wade had two points, two rebounds and two assists. In his second game back against the Memphis Grizzlies, he had zero points but made an impact rebounding, totaling six. 

Keyontae Johnson, F, Greensboro Swarm 

Johnson is a reliable scorer for the Charlotte Hornets G-League team, the Greensboro Swarm. The forward averages 14.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists for the team. 

Johnson put on a scoring onslaught last week against the Mexico City Capitanes. The former Wildcat dropped 36 points while shooting 62.5% from field goal range. He also had four rebounds, one assist and two steals. The Swarm won the game 89-71. 

Markquis Nowell, G, Rio Grande Valley Vipers 

Nowell put up career-high points last weekend against the Memphis Hustle, following an off-the-floor engagement announcement on Instagram.

The former K-State point guard almost had a double-double, posting a statline of 44 points and nine assists. Nowell was a problem on defense as well, putting up five steals. Of his scorching 44 points, 36 came in the second half. He made a career-high of nine 3-pointers.

Unfortunately for Nowell and the Vipers, Memphis secured the win 136-120. Nowell is one of the Vipers’ premier players, averaging 18.8 points, 7.7 assists and 2.0 steals a game.