In the quiet moments after Wichita State’s season ended — an 83-79 loss to Tulsa in the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals — Paul Mills wasn’t focused on the scoreboard.

He was already thinking about who would still be in the locker room next year.

In a sport increasingly defined by one-year acquisitions and transfer portal bidding wars, roster continuity has become rare. Mills, who just concluded his third season as Wichita State’s head coach, is betting the Shockers can be the exception.

“We’re a top 25 program,” Mills said. “We’re going to be a top 25 team. It’s going to happen.”

That vision didn’t materialize overnight this season, but the foundation is unmistakable. The Shockers finished 24-12 — their most wins in eight years — and reestablished an identity built on cohesion as much as talent.

Now comes the harder part: keeping it intact.

The transfer portal opens April 7, but the real work begins immediately. Mills said he will conduct exit interviews with every eligible player in the coming days, aiming to secure commitments before outside influences — agents, coaches, and name, image and likeness opportunities — enter the equation.

It’s a reality every program faces. Rosters turn over faster than ever and development timelines have shrunk. Retaining players, even for a second season, can feel like a victory.

That’s why Mills has emphasized something the portal can’t easily replicate: connection.

“We’re a brotherhood,” senior guard Kenyon Giles said with tears in his eyes. “I’m going to talk to these guys a month from now. 

“I don’t know if they know it, but when I have my wedding, they’re all invited.”

Moments like that are what Mills hopes will resonate when decisions are made in the coming weeks.

“I feel really good about the group that we have, and who’s going to end up returning,” Mills said.

That confidence is rooted in intentional roster building. After losing eight seniors a year ago, the staff prioritized balance — a mix designed to avoid another full reset.

Players have echoed that belief throughout the season.

“The program’s constantly growing,” senior forward Karon Boyd said to The Sunflower after a loss to South Florida in the conference title game. “A lot of core guys are returning. 

“Wichita is not going anywhere — it’s only getting better from here.”

Still, replacing Boyd and Giles won’t be simple.

Giles delivered one of the most dazzling seasons in recent program history, averaging 19.1 points per game — the highest mark since Jason Perez’s 20.2 in 1999-2000 — while setting a single-season record with 125 made 3-pointers. His 689 total points rank third all-time for a season, trailing only Xavier McDaniel and Dave Stallworth.

Boyd, meanwhile, anchored the defense while expanding his offensive game, averaging 10.9 points and knocking down 46 threes at a 35.1% clip after struggling from deep earlier in his career.

Their departures leave production gaps, but not necessarily a void.

Wichita State could return as many as 12 players, with the possibility of 13 if center Emmanuel Okorafor is granted a medical hardship waiver.

Among the most important decisions is that of center Will Berg. Berg, a 7-foot-2 Purdue transfer, led the team in rebounds (8.1) and blocks (45), earning the American Conference’s Sixth Man of the Year honors.

Guard Mike Gray Jr., who has already secured an additional year of eligibility, would provide experience and stability if he returns, while forward Dillon Battie’s late-season surge offered a glimpse of the program’s next wave. After limited early minutes, Battie averaged 10 points over the final 20 games, including a 22-point, 12-rebound double-double on senior day.

“We’re going to have a young core that’s going to dominate,” Battie said to The Sunflower March 15.

For some, the decision may be more personal than strategic.

Redshirt freshman TJ Williams, a Wichitan, described his choice in simpler terms.

“A lot of people were like, ‘Why Wichita State?’” Williams said. “But ‘why not?’ is what I tell them. Why not?

“(We’re) just trying to get back to the glory days. We were really close this year.”

That question — part belief, part challenge — may define the Shockers’ offseason as much as any NIL offer or recruiting pitch.

Mills understands what’s ahead. He even joked about it, reviving the nickname fans have embraced.

“You go in the next room, you change your clothes,” he said with a grin. 

“And Portal Paul emerges.”

The line drew laughs. The work behind it won’t.

Because if Wichita State is going to become what Mills insists it will be, the next step isn’t just adding talent.

It’ll be convincing enough of it to stay.