PJ Haggerty has earned a reputation as one of college basketball’s purest scorers — a true bucket-getter. Now, after withdrawing from the 2025 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-3 guard is bringing his game to Kansas State, his fourth stop in four seasons.
The road here has been anything but straightforward, but wherever Haggerty goes, one thing follows: points.
Haggerty’s career began at TCU in 2022-23, then shifted to Tulsa in 2023-24, where he took on a larger role. But it was at Memphis during the 2024-25 season that his star power fully shined.
As the Tigers’ leading scorer, he averaged 21.2 points per game, led the American Athletic Conference in scoring, and became the face of a 29-8 team that won both the AAC regular-season and tournament titles.
His ability to score in bunches reached its peak when he dropped 42 points in the AAC Tournament, tying the single-game scoring record. That performance capped off a season in which he earned AAC Player of the Year and consensus All-American honors.
After such a standout year, Haggerty tested the NBA waters. He was among the 75 players invited to the 2025 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, where he showcased his game by averaging 17 points across two scrimmages. Scouts noted his shot-making, his fearlessness, and his knack for creating buckets from anywhere on the floor.
Still, on May 26, 2025, Haggerty decided to withdraw from the draft. That choice sets the stage for his next chapter: a move to the Big 12 with Kansas State.
What makes Haggerty so special? Scoring versatility. He shot 36% from three on 107 attempts, proving he can stretch defenses. He also averaged 5.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals, bringing far more than just points to the floor.
In Memphis’ NCAA Tournament first-round matchup with Colorado State, even in defeat, Haggerty showed his all-around game: 18 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
But at the end of the day, it always circles back to the buckets. Haggerty has an uncanny ability to take over a game — the kind of scorer you can’t scheme away.
For Jerome Tang and the Wildcats, Haggerty is the kind of proven scorer that can elevate a roster into contender status. Entering the 2025-26 season as a redshirt junior, he’ll bring leadership, big-game experience, and instant offense to a program hungry to climb in the Big 12.
If there’s one certainty, it’s this: Haggerty is going to put the ball in the hoop. And Manhattan, Kansas, might just be the perfect stage for his next scoring show.
PJ Haggerty has already proven he can dominate in the AAC. Now, he’s stepping into one of college basketball’s toughest conferences with the same mindset he’s carried since day one: get buckets.
From Memphis to Manhattan, one truth remains — PJ Haggerty is a bucket-getter, and Kansas State fans are about to see it firsthand.
