UNT transfer Tylor Perry prepares for final season in his return to the Sunflower State

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - After topping Cowley Community College in Hutchinson Sports Arena in the 2021 NJCAA D1 National Championship game, Tylor Perry went on to be one of the best players in Conference USA for North Texas. After leading the Mean Green to an NIT Championship this past season, Perry was one of the most sought after recruits in the transfer portal. The key for getting him on Jerome Tang’s staff: a mixture of the two.

In the 2021-22 season while at North Texas, one of Perry’s coaches was none other than now viral Kansas State assistant coach Jareem Dowling. When Perry entered the transfer portal, it didn’t take Tang and Dowling much convincing to bring the CUSA Player of the Year back to the Sunflower State.

“Reem and Tang told me it was time to be a pro,” Perry said in an interview with 12 News. “I’ve had my fun in college. It’s my last year. If I want my chance at the next level, I have to really be a pro now. They just knew I needed to be around family again and be around people who I felt would have my best interest at heart on and off the court.”

Now the ‘Cats’ newest star is in the state where he first made a name for himself, being named to the Jayhawk Conference 1st team, as well as the national tournament MVP.

“It’s crazy,” he said. “It’s surreal that I’m making my way around Kansas to be coming back where it all started at. I’m definitely excited.”

At North Texas, the 5′11″ point guard averaged 17.3 points per game in the Mean Green’s NIT title season.

After Kansas State’s Elite Eight run this past March, Tang’s squad graduates their star point guard Markquis Nowell, allowing a potential seamless transition for Perry to help lead Kansas State immediately.

Despite the path that was paved for him by Nowell, Perry knows that the expectations and comparisons are just for talks.

“I’m not going in to be Markquis. I’ve got to go in and be Tylor.”

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