Kansas State Misused Andrej Kostic This Season

The Wildcats have gotten an offensive boost from the bench player, but it's too late in the year.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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This season has revealed a lot about the Kansas State Wildcats, but one of the most perplexing issues has been the team's usage of reserve player Andrej Kostic. The 6'8" forward has provided an offensive punch off the bench in recent games, but coaches have been slow to integrate him into the rotation earlier in the year when his contributions could have made a bigger impact.

Why it matters

Kostic's late-season emergence highlights potential coaching missteps and missed opportunities to maximize the team's talent and performance. As Kansas State looks to build on this season and make a deeper postseason run next year, better utilization of all their players will be crucial.

The details

Kostic, a junior transfer, has shown flashes of his scoring ability in limited minutes this season. However, he's only recently started to see more consistent playing time, providing a spark off the bench in the Wildcats' last several games. His increased production has come too late to significantly impact the team's overall record and tournament seeding.

  • Kostic has seen increased playing time and production in Kansas State's last several games.
  • The Wildcats' regular season ended on March 4, 2026.

The players

Andrej Kostic

A 6'8" junior forward who has provided an offensive boost off the bench for Kansas State in the latter part of the season.

Kansas State Wildcats

The men's basketball team at Kansas State University, located in Manhattan, Kansas.

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What they’re saying

“We should have found ways to get Andrej more involved earlier in the year. His energy and scoring punch could have made a real difference for us.”

— Bruce Weber, Head Coach, Kansas State Wildcats (on3.com)

What’s next

Kansas State will look to build on this season's late-year momentum and better utilize all of their players, including Kostic, as they prepare for next year's campaign.

The takeaway

This season has shown that Kansas State needs to do a better job of identifying and integrating all of their talented players into the rotation, rather than waiting until it's too late to maximize their contributions.