KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It’s officially time to let the madness begin. It’s March, which means the NCAA Tournament is upon us, and there’s a multitude of players representing the Kansas City metro.
While the tournament has technically already started with the First Four, the Round of 64 doesn’t begin until tomorrow.
With that being said, here are some names local fans should look out for during March Madness:
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
The freshman point guard and Shawnee Mission Northwest alum has taken the country by storm with his stellar play throughout the year.
Wagler caught many by surprise this season, leading the charge for an Illinois that finished second in the Big 10 during the regular season.
The 6’6″ guard’s rise was a rapid one, as he went from being somewhat overlooked in high school to now a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. He leads Illinois with 17.9 points per game and 4.4 assists.
Wagler and the Fighting Illini face Penn tomorrow at 8:25 p.m. on TNT.
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
This is a name many KC area college basketball fans could be familiar with after Stirtz’s impressive lone season with the Drake Bulldogs in 2025.
Stirtz is another potential first-round pick in the upcoming draft who has seen an expeditious ascension over the past few years.
The Liberty High School alum started his college career at Division II Northwest Missouri State before following head coach Ben McCollum to Drake and now Iowa, where they have a handful of players from the metro.
Stirtz paces Iowa with 20 points per game, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals. The Hawkeyes play Clemson on Friday at 5:50 p.m. on TNT.
Tyon Grant-Foster, Gonzaga
Grant-Foster, whose story is well documented, is in his seventh year in college after overcoming heart problems earlier in his college career.
He’s had quite the journey during his college career, spending time at Indian Hills CC, Kansas, DePaul, Grand Canyon and now Gonzaga.
The Schlagle alum has carved himself out a solid role with the Zags after being the lead man at GCU.
On the season, he is averaging 11.2 points and five rebounds off the bench. He also leads the Bulldogs with 1.1 blocks per game. Gonzaga will face Kennesaw State tomorrow at 9 p.m. on TBS.
Mark Mitchell, Mizzou
The senior guard has been the anchor for the Tigers all season, guiding them to the tournament for the second straight season.
The KCK native leads the Tigers in nearly every major category, averaging 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Mitchell attended Bishop Miege High School before transferring to Sunrise Christian in Bel Aire, Kansas.
The Tigers tip off on Friday against Miami at 9:10 p.m. on truTV.
Carson Schwieger, Queens
Schwieger, a redshirt sophomore, joined Queens after spending time at Valparaiso and Wright State.
He attended Blue Valley Southwest High School and Link Year Prep in Branson, Missouri.
In a starting role with the Royals, the Overland Park native is averaging 10.5 points and 3.2 rebounds.
This is Queens first ever tournament appearance. They will look to pull off the upset when they face Purdue, Friday at 6:35 p.m. on truTV.
Kyan Evans, North Carolina
Evans, a Staley alum, enters the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season after having an impressive showing with Colorado State in 2025.
The junior guard is averaging 4.1 points and 2.6 assists for the Tar Heels this season.
Evans will look to provide some production off the bench for a UNC team missing their star freshman Caleb Wilson.
Micah Robinson, TCU
Robinson, a KCMO native, didn’t attend high school in the area but lived in Kansas City the first eight years of his life before moving to Texas, where he played basketball at Addison and Frisco High School.
The sophomore forward starts for the Horned-Frogs and is averaging 10.5 points and 4.7 rebounds.
TCU faces Ohio State tomorrow at 11:15 a.m. on CBS.
Tavion Banks, Iowa
Banks also followed McCollum from Drake, landing him at Iowa. He also spent time at Northwest Florida State for junior college.
The senior guard is from KCMO but went to high school at Minnesota Preparatory Academy.
Outside of Stirtz, he’s the only other Hawkeye in double figures at 10.5 points per game and leads the team in rebounding with 4.7 per contest.
Other notable players from the KC metro
- F Cam Manyawu, Iowa
- G Isaia Howard, Iowa
- F Joey Matteoni, Iowa
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