At first, Kansas State men’s basketball head coach Frank Martin said any notion of leaving for South Carolina was "crazy." Now, however, Kellis Robinett reports that Martin's changed his tune. The Kansas City Star reporter recently said via Twitter, "Just got off the phone with Frank Martin’s agent. When asked about South Carolina he tells me, ‘We have had conversations.’"
This is an about-face from Martin’s previous position and shows there might be some truth to the notion that Martin would leave a successful, steady Big 12 program for the bottom-dwelling Gamecocks of the SEC. South Carolina won only 10 games last season, while the Wildcats played in the NCAA Tournament again and made it to the second round.
Martin is the first coach in K-State history to hit the 20-win mark in each of his first five seasons, and he has nearly every player coming back next year in a season where Missouri and Baylor will both be on the downward slide after player exits. It’s amazing that Martin would even consider leaving but, then again, everyone has a price. Given the lingering tension around Jamar Samuels’ suspension, perhaps there’s enough emotion to make a move.
For more on the Kansas State basketball program, check out Bring On The Cats.