By JAMES MADDEN & ADAM ZAGORIA
Kansas State has fired head men’s basketball coach Jerome Tang.
Tang spent four seasons with the Wildcats, going 71-57 and making one NCAA Tournament, which ended in an Elite Eight appearance, in 2023.
“This was a decision that was made in the best interest of our university and men’s basketball program,” AD Glen Taylor said in a statement. “Recent public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction, have not aligned with K-State’s standards for supporting student-athletes and representing the university. We wish Coach Tang and his family all the best moving forward.”
Associate head coach Matt Driscoll has been named the interim. Driscoll spent 16 seasons as the head coach of North Florida.
The school is firing Tang for cause, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, citing language in his contract that references comments that bring “public disrepute, embarrassment, ridicule” to Kansas State.
“These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year,” Tang said following a 29-point loss to Cincinnati this week.
Tang told ESPN following the firing:
“I am deeply disappointed with the university’s decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination….
“I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as head coach. I would like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the opportunity to serve as Head Coach at Kansas State. It has been one of the great honors of my life..
“I am grateful to the players, staff, and fans who make this program so special. I remain proud of what we built together and confident that I have always acted in the best interests of the university and our student-athletes.”
Kansas State AD Gene Taylor, on the comments made last week by Jerome Tang leading to firing for ‘cause’
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace) February 16, 2026
Taylor mentioned Tang coached Saturday because he wasn’t in town
“I was out of town, couldn’t put this all together. Had to get with the President so we were on same page pic.twitter.com/KoBdoFly7d
With one of the top NIL bases in the country, there has been growing frustration around the program, which led Tang to issue his controversial postgame comments.
The Wildcats have opened the season 1-11 in Big 12 play, with their lone win coming on January 20 against Utah at home.
Tang has a reported buyout of over $18.5 million, but according to reports, the two sides are negotiating the details.
After Tang’s first season in Manhattan, in which the Wildcats were 26-10, they finished just 45-47 throughout the remainder of his tenure.
Adding insult to injury, in Tang’s final game as the head coach of the Wildcats on Saturday, Kansas State players wore jerseys without their names on the back, in their 14-point loss to No. 3 Houston.
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