Kansas Basketball Target Schedules Visit With Rival Kansas State

The Wildcats are bringing in top-25 recruit Jalen Montonati for his first visit, as they move ahead of Kansas in the race for the long-range marksman.

Owasso’s Jalen Montonati is pictured as part of The Oklahoman’s Super 5 at Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City on Monday, April 7, 2025. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jalen Montonati had received eight offers before even wrapping up his freshman year of high school, two of which came from the most prominent college basketball teams in the state of Kansas. 

In the two-plus years that have since passed, both Kansas’ Bill Self and Kansas State’s Jerome Tang have been staying quite active in the hunt for Montonati’s talents. Just two weeks ago, the Jayhawks had coaches watching Montonati at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, making it abundantly clear he’s a high-priority target for the program. 

And while there was seemingly no favorite in the battle for Montonati – and despite Kansas’ best efforts – it appears Tang and his Wildcats have moved into the driver's seat, as they’ve secured Montonati’s first official visit. 

2026 Top-25 recruit Jalen Montonati will begin an official visit to Kansas State on Monday, he tells @On3Recruits.

It’ll be the 6-7 small forward’s first official visit. https://t.co/YwdJlWQKMM pic.twitter.com/vz38H4K0LA

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) June 28, 2025

Ranked 22nd in the Class of 2026, according to 247 Sports’ Composite Ranking, and listed as the top player in his home state of Oklahoma, the 6-foot-7 sharpshooter currently holds 20 offers. 

Other notable programs involved in Montonati’s recruitment include Alabama, Arkansas, Houston, Michigan, and BYU, among others. Kansas has its hands full in the pursuit of Montonati – especially with its in-state rival – but considering Self’s track record of landing top recruits, one certainly can’t count the Jayhawks out.