Familiar faces join K-State hoops staff

The Kansas State Wildcats men’s basketball team announced a few additions and one change to the coaching staff today, including the addition of former players Jordan Henriquez-Roberts and Mason Schoen as graduate student managers.

In addition, video coordinator Mike Furlong was promoted to the position of director of student-athlete development, filling the void left when Shane Southwell took a job as an assistant coach at Robert Morris, and former Division II McKendree College player Nate Michael joined Henriquez-Roberts and Schoen as a graduate student manager.

Henriquez-Roberts is the most familiar name of the bunch, a staple of four NCAA Tournament teams and part of the 2013 senior class that holds the school record for career wins. He also is the most prolific shot-blocker in school history, combining tremendous length, good timing, and trust in his teammates to fight for rebounds to swat 210 shot attempts. Since college he has played professionally in the NBA’s G-League and overseas.

Schoen’s numbers as a player are less attention grabbing, but the important number is one: Schoen was the one senior on the 2018 team that advanced to the Elite Eight. He played sparingly at best, registering a combined 20 minutes, all in games that were already decided but served as a co-captain. After earning two degrees at K-State, Schoen served as a graduate assistant for one season at Clemson.

I sincerely hope all of the new additions can make the most of their time on the coaching staff. It is great to see former Wildcats coming back to K-State. And who knows, maybe JO will be the one to finally prove the old adage wrong and successfully teach height.