When you talk about Kansas State basketball this season, the spotlight naturally lands on names like PJ Haggerty, Abdi Bashir Jr., and David Castillo. But if you zoom in a little closer, there’s a veteran presence quietly anchoring this group - Taj Manning. He’s not filling up highlight reels or chasing stat-padding nights, but make no mistake: Manning is leaving his mark in ways that win games.
Now in his third year with the Wildcats, Manning is one of the few steady hands on a roster that’s seen plenty of turnover. He knows the system, understands the expectations, and more importantly, he embraces the dirty work. That’s not always glamorous, but it’s essential - and his teammates know it.
Haggerty said it best after a recent win: “Taj is a hard worker. He’s not really looking out there to score.
He can score, but he’s just doing the little things. He's like a Draymond Green, just the spirit he brings.
He’s been here a couple of years, so he knows the expectations. He just comes in, plays hard, and plays his role.
We all love Taj.”
That comparison to Draymond Green isn’t just a throwaway line. It speaks to the kind of player Manning is - a guy whose value goes beyond the box score. He’s a defensive tone-setter, a vocal leader, and the kind of teammate who raises the floor of a team just by doing the right things consistently.
Take his performance in the Wildcats’ win over South Dakota. Manning logged a season-high 20 minutes and chipped in six points, five rebounds, and two blocks.
Solid numbers, sure. But what stood out even more was the energy he brought on defense, his ability to crash the boards, and how he helped stabilize the floor when the game needed it.
He’s not out there trying to take over - he’s out there to make the team better.
Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang has taken notice.
“Man, how good was he?” Tang said after the game.
“I told him at practice, ‘I need you to practice like when you have the black shirt on, not like when you have the white shirt on.’ You get on the team with the white shirt, and all of a sudden, you look like you’re trying not to make a mistake.
When you’re on the black shirts, you’re flying around, and you’re grabbing this and that. I believe in you, so just relax and play and go be Taj.”
That kind of coaching insight tells you everything you need to know about Manning’s role. Tang doesn’t need him to be someone he’s not. He just wants the version of Manning who plays loose, plays fast, and plays with confidence - the one who’s been through the battles and knows how to win.
And that experience matters. Manning was part of the Kansas State team that made a deep postseason run not long ago. He understands what it takes to build toward something bigger than a single win.
“Definitely, especially since he was on the team that made that deep run, so he kind of knows what a team needs to do to be able to win like that,” teammate Nate Johnson said. “He just comes in and plays his role.
When he wasn’t playing, he was doing the same routine as now. Still shoots like every day, still gets his treatment and stuff, so nothing's really changed.
He's just getting more minutes, and it's showing.”
That’s the thing with players like Manning - their habits don’t change with their minutes. He’s been putting in the work whether he’s logging five minutes or 20. And now that he’s getting more run, the results are showing up in ways that matter.
Kansas State is still figuring out its identity with a mix of young talent and new faces, but having a veteran like Taj Manning in the mix gives this team a foundation to build on. He may not be the headliner, but his impact is undeniable.
The Wildcats are back in action Sunday afternoon against Louisiana-Monroe - and if recent performances are any indication, you can expect Manning to keep doing the little things that make a big difference.