Kansas State and former men's basketball coach Jerome Tang have agreed to a settlement more than seven months after the Wildcats fired him for cause, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Wednesday. The agreement will pay Tang $12 million between now and the end of 2027.

Tang was owed approximately $18.7 million under the contract he signed with Kansas State, which was set to run through the 2030-31 season.

The Wildcats dismissed Tang in February during his fourth season in Manhattan. Kansas State entered his final stretch at 10-15 and were heading toward their third straight NCAA Tournament absence while competing near the bottom of the Big 12 standings.

The university attempted to terminate Tang for cause, citing comments he made after a 91-62 home loss to Cincinnati. The defeat was the Wildcats' 10th loss in 11 games.

“This was embarrassing,” Tang said following the 29-point setback. “These dudes did not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few in it next year. I'm embarrassed for the university, I'm embarrassed for our fans, our student section. We have practice at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning. We will get this thing right. I have no answers and no words.”

Athletic director Gene Taylor argued that Tang's postgame remarks provided grounds for termination under his contract. Kansas State's decision to pursue a for-cause firing was an attempt to avoid or reduce the substantial buyout that would have been owed if Tang had been dismissed without cause.

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Tang disputed the Wildcats' characterization of the firing and retained attorneys Tom Mars and Bennett Speyer. However, Tang never filed a lawsuit against the university, per Thamel. The two sides instead reached the reported $12 million settlement.

Tang's four-year tenure at Kansas State began in March 2022, when Taylor hired him after nearly two decades as an assistant at Baylor and without previous Division I head-coaching experience. His first season was the most successful of his stint, as the Wildcats reached the Elite Eight in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Kansas State then missed the NCAA Tournament in each of the next two seasons before Tang's dismissal.

Tang has since returned to Baylor, rejoining Scott Drew's staff as the Bears' associate head coach for the 2026-27 season. Baylor is scheduled to host the Wildcats on Jan. 2, although the Bears will not play at Kansas State this season.

The Wildcats hired former Belmont coach Casey Alexander as Tang's replacement in March. Kansas State is scheduled to begin the 2026-27 season with an exhibition against Mizzou on Friday, Oct. 23.