PJ Haggerty Stuns NBA Draft: Nation’s No. 3 Scorer Bolts Memphis for Kansas State in Blockbuster Transfer

Junior guard PJ Haggerty, the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and the nation’s third-leading scorer at 23.9 points per game, stunned the college basketball world Monday by withdrawing from the 2025 NBA Draft and announcing his transfer from Memphis to Kansas State. According to CBS Sports, Haggerty informed the NBA of his decision just hours before the draft withdrawal deadline, then committed to the Wildcats in a move that immediately reshapes the Big 12 title race. Why Kansas State? Multiple sources familiar with the recruitment say head coach Jerome Tang sold Haggerty on an expanded playmaking role, a proven track record of turning high-usage guards into NBA draft picks, and a robust NIL collective that quietly matched offers from traditional blue-bloods. Last season the Wildcats finished 21-12 but ranked 258th nationally in offensive efficiency; Haggerty’s downhill attacking style and 40 percent three-point stroke address their most glaring weakness. Fit with the Wildcats’ roster Kansas State returns All-Big 12 wing Arthur Kaluma and 7-foot rim protector Nae’Quan Tomlin. Sliding Haggerty into the backcourt alongside sophomore facilitator Dai Dai Ames gives Tang a three-level scorer who can initiate offense, run spread pick-and-roll, and relieve pressure in late-clock situations. Analysts at Yahoo Sports project the trio to be one of the conference’s top scoring units. Implications for the 2025-26 season • Big 12 power shift: Kansas State’s KenPom projection jumped from No. 27 to No. 11 once Haggerty’s commitment hit the portal databases, leapfrogging Texas Tech and Cincinnati in early metrics. • NBA draft stock: By postponing his pro debut, Haggerty can showcase improved on-ball defense and playmaking in a Power-Six league, potentially elevating from a late second-round grade to the 2026 lottery. • Transfer-portal ripple: Memphis now holds two open scholarships and is expected to pursue Oklahoma State guard Bryce Thompson as a stopgap replacement. What Haggerty said “I wanted to play somewhere that develops guards and helps me win right away,” Haggerty told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. “Coach Tang showed me film of how he’d use me in ball screens and off pin-downs. It felt like the perfect fit”. Looking ahead Kansas State opens the season Nov. 5 against Oral Roberts before a marquee neutral-site clash with Duke on Nov. 15. With Haggerty in purple, those matchups instantly become must-watch TV and give the Wildcats a legitimate pathway back to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years.