MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Athletics)– Rising senior Nae’Qwan Tomlin was among 11 college players chosen to attend the inaugural Jayson Tatum Elite Camp, which runs from July 20-23 in St. Louis.
The current Boston Celtic, who is a 4-time NBA All-Star and 2-time All-NBA First Team selection, invited 29 players (18 high school and 11 college) at his position to train with him for 4 days in his hometown of St. Louis.
Of the 11 college players selected, Tomlin was among 3 from the Big 12, joining Houston’s Terrance Arceneaux and Texas’ Dillon Mitchell. Other college players included Richmond’s Tyler Burton, Oregon’s Kwame Evans, Louisville’s Trentyn Flowers, Duke’s Caleb Foster and Mark Mitchell, UConn’s Alex Karaban, Florida’s Riley Kugel and Providence’s Bryce Hopkins.
The 6-foot-8, 195-pound forward from Harlem, N.Y., tested the NBA waters before returning to K-State for his final year of eligibility in 2023-24. He was a major component for a Wildcat team that won 26 games and advanced to the Elite Eight for the 13th time in school history in 2022-23. He was third in scoring (10.4 ppg.) and double-digit scoring games (21) behind All-Americans Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson and second in rebounding (5.9 rpg.) to Johnson, while he led the way in blocks (1.0 bpg.) and dunks (43).
One of four players to start all 36 games a year ago, Tomlin averaged 10.4 points on 50 percent (147-of-294) shooting from the field, including 27.5 percent (19-of-69) from 3-point range, to go with 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks in 27.3 minutes per game. He also connected on 73.8 percent (62-of-84) from the free throw line. He ranked among the Big 12’s top-15 in 4 categories, including fourth in offensive rebounds (2.22 orpg.), seventh in blocked shots, ninth in rebounding and 14th in defensive rebounds (3.64 drpg.).
Tomlin was playing his best basketball at the end of the season, scoring in double figures in the last 5 games, including all 4 NCAA Tournament games. He averaged 12.5 points on 59.5 percent (22-of-37) shooting in the NCAA Tournament with 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game. His best all-around game came in the win over Kentucky in the second round with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals in 30 minutes.
Tomlin came to K-State after earning NJCAA All-American honors at Chipola College in 2021-22, averaging a team-leading 13.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.
