BY CARTER BAHNS
MANHATTAN, Kan. (247Sports.com) – Kansas State forward and potential NBA Draft prospect Nae’Qwan Tomlin is no longer with the program, athletic director Gene Taylor announced Wednesday in a release. Tomlin did not play for the Wildcats throughout the early weeks of the 2023-24 season amid an indefinite suspension stemming from an Oct. 29 arrest for “disorderly conduct; brawling or fighting” at a sports bar. He has been removed from the team’s online roster. Tomlin was a key part of last year’s Elite Eight squad, starting 36 games for Kansas State and averaging 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He provided similar production in the postseason, tallying 12.5 points, five rebounds and two blocks while scoring in double figures in each of the Wildcats’ four NCAA Tournament games.
“We have heard the concerns and the questions from K-State fans and friends around Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s indefinite suspension from the men’s basketball team,” Taylor said in the statement. “Situations like these are difficult. We know you want answers, but federal privacy laws largely prohibit the University and K-State Athletics from publicly discussing specific information around circumstances like this. Those laws are in place to protect our student-athletes, and more specifically in this instance, to protect Nae’Qwan as he is working through a process designed to support him and lift him out of a difficult time. Allowing for that space and time is critical, but in today’s digital age, that unfortunately can lead to the spread of rumors and misinformation — and in this case, much of the information on social media is incorrect.
“I have been monitoring this situation and overseeing Nae’Qwan’s suspension with Coach Tang’s involvement. While we cannot share the specifics that have led to this outcome due to the reasons stated above, K-State Athletics can now share that Nae’Qwan Tomlin will no longer be able to continue with the K-State men’s basketball team. This decision was not made lightly by me, but it is the decision warranted by the circumstances that brought it to bear. We appreciate your passion for our men’s basketball team and for Nae’Qwan. Please know that together, we stand united to do what is best for this young man’s personal development and growth — and to do what is best to uphold the values of our teams and our university at large.”
Tomlin entered the 2023-24 season as a potential pro prospect and landed on the debut 247Sports NBA Draft Big Board as the No. 30 player available.
Tomlin joined Kansas State ahead of last season as a highly touted Marianna (Fla.) Chipola College product. The 6-foot-10, 210-pound forward from New York City ranked as the No. 4 junior college player in the nation and the No. 1 small forward at that level.
