Before Frank Martin and Bob Huggins, there were coaches like Tex Winter, Jack Hartman and Lon Kruger. Their brand of Kansas State basketball was missed during the late ’90s and most of the 2000’s. However, head coach Frank Martin took the Wildcats to an Elite Eight last season, grabbed the most wins in school history with 29, and became the only coach in school history start his career with three straight 20-win seasons.

That translates well into the 2010-11 basketball season. The Wildcats lost a significant contributor in Denis Clemente but also gained, and returns, valuable assets. Freshman Nino Williams and Shane Southwell will take on the duties of commanding wing threats.

Not to mention, Jacob Pullen, Curtis Kelly, and Wally Judge all return for what is expected to be another magical season for the Wildcats.

Improvements in 2010-11

The Wildcats return a significant amount of remarkable talent. Obviously Pullen and Kelly will be expected to make major contributions, but Nick Russell, Rodney McGruder and Martavious Irving will also play large roles in the offense.

Each of the three second year players will help maintain the backcourt dominance, which Clemente and Pullen commanded last season.

If Russell gets more in-depth with defense, and Irving asserts his aggressiveness on offense, while McGruder helps on the wing, the Wildcats should be in great shape this season.

Newcomer to Watch

Freddy Asprilla, a transfer from Florida International University, looks impressive with his size and physical ability. He won the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year award during his only season with the Panthers. He transfers to K-State and should be a more mobile version of Luis Colon.

His 6-foot-10 frame will help Kelly in the post. Under Martin, K-State is known for its tenacity on the offensive glass. With Asprilla, that trend should continue.

Asprilla is an athlete that plays hard, physical and tough basketball. He will bring both offensive and defensive intensity. It is going to be hard for the opposition to grab defensive rebounds with five athletic players crashing the boards after every shot.

A Question Needing Answered

The wing position is a question for the Wildcats. With Dominique Sutton transferring, the Wildcats will need another player to step up and fill his void. Both true freshman forwards Southwell and Williams will have to provide the defensive intensity Sutton did. Offense will be the additional desert to the platter.

McGruder should have the upper hand at filling the starting role at forward, and coach Martin will likely rely on Williams and Southwell to aid the wing. McGruder is an exceptional talent when slashing to rim and plays solid defense.

The Prediction

Coach Martin’s contributions to aid the returning players helps maintain the toughness of his roster. The backcourt is stacked with Pullen, Irving, Russell and freshman Will Spradling. The frontcourt is also deep with Kelly, Asprilla, Judge, and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts.

The key question heading into next season is the wing position. However, with the emergence of McGruder, and his slashing ability, it should not be a massive problem.

The Wildcats have depth with one of the best rotations in college basketball. Raining Sixth Man of the Year in the Big 12, Jamar Samuels, will still play a vital role off the bench.

The Wildcats will have to work hard, establish an offensive scoring threat not named Pullen, and maintain its defensive intensity. The Wildcats have catapulted into the national spotlight because of their success last season, and another 25+ win season and 13 Big 12 Conference wins should be expected.