Kansas State basketball’s Tylor Perry and Arthur Kaluma receive Big 12 honorable mention

Two newcomers to the Kansas State men’s basketball team were recently recognized by Big 12 coaches for the preseason all-conference team. Fifth-year senior guard Tylor Perry and junior forward Arthur Kaluma both received honorable mention, becoming the first two Wildcats to receive this recognition since 2018-19 when Barry Brown and Dean Wade were selected for the first team.

The coaches’ selection for the 2023-24 all-conference first team includes Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson and Dajuan Harris, Houston’s L.J. Cryer, TCU’s Emmanuel Miller, and Texas’ Max Abmas. Dickinson was named both the preseason player and newcomer of the year. Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter was chosen as the preseason freshman of the year.

Perry, a 5-foot-11, 182-pound graduate transfer from North Texas, played a key role in the Mean Green’s success, contributing to their 56 victories, including the 2023 NIT championship, over the course of two years. He received Conference USA first-team selections twice and was named the player of the year in 2023. Perry also earned the NIT most outstanding player award. Last season, he led his team with an average of 17.3 points per game, totaling 1,043 points during his time at North Texas. He also had a successful run at Coffeyville Community College, helping them win the NJCAA national championship as a sophomore.

Kaluma, a 6-7, 225-pound forward, transferred to K-State after playing two years at Creighton. At Creighton, he contributed to the team’s appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a run to the Elite Eight last March. During his sophomore year, he averaged 11.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Other honorable mention selections by the Big 12 coaches for the preseason include Jalen Bridges, RayJ Dennis, and Walker from Baylor, Jamal Shead from Houston, Kevin McCullar from KU, Jesse Edwards from West Virginia, and Dylan Disu, Tyrese Hunter, and Dillon Mitchell from Texas.

Arne Green is a sports writer based in Salina covering Kansas State University. You can reach him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @arnegreen.

This article was originally published on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State basketball’s Perry, Kaluma get preseason Big 12 mention.