Kansas State forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin applies for diversion in disorderly conduct case

Kansas State men’s basketball player Nae’Qwan Tomlin has applied for diversion in connection to his October arrest for disorderly conduct, according to local municipal court records.

The 6-foot-10 senior forward is scheduled to attend a diversion conference later this week.

If his application is approved, that could be an important first step for Tomlin as he works to return to the Wildcats. He is currently suspended from the team and he has not played in a single game this season.

K-State basketball coach Jerome Tang indefinitely suspended Tomlin after he was arrested for “disorderly conduct” and “brawling or fighting” in the Manhattan bar district known as Aggieville on Oct. 29.

Tang has provided no timeline for a possible return with Tomlin, going as far as to say “I don’t know if he’s coming back.” But he has also made it clear that both sides could have a conversation about Tomlin returning to the roster after his legal issues are resolved.

“There is still a process that is out of our hands that he is going through,” Tang said last week. “But we are loving him and we are supporting him. He is doing all of the things he needs to do here on campus that we have asked of him.”

If Tomlin’s application for diversion is accepted, the county will postpone criminal proceedings against him. In return, he would agree to pay a fine and also abide by any other conditions set forth in the diversion program, such as completing a certain number of community service hours or attending anger management classes.

If Tomlin successfully completes all requirements of the diversion program, his disorderly conduct charge would be dismissed.

Tomlin was expected to be a major contributor for the Wildcats this season as they look to build on a successful first year under Tang, which ended with 26 victories and a trip to the Elite Eight.

K-State signed Tomlin out of junior college last season and he immediately helped the Wildcats as a starter in the frontcourt, averaging 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He was so good during his first year at K-State that he tried out for several NBA teams during the spring before deciding to return to college for his senior year.

But it has been a disappointing start to the season for Tomlin. He has been away from the K-State basketball team for most of the past two months, as he also missed significant stretches of the preseason while he dealt with what Tang described as “personal issues.”

The Wildcats are off to a 2-1 start without Tomlin, opening the season with a loss to USC and bouncing back with wins over Bellarmine and South Dakota State.

K-State will next play Providence on Friday in the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship. The team arrived in the Bahamas Tuesday and will return after playing either Georgia or Miami there on Sunday.

Perhaps Tomlin will no longer have a disorderly conduct charge looming over him by then.