Iowa State Basketball Commitment Is Full Circle Moment for Leon Bond III

Despite never playing for Iowa State, this is a coaching staff that he knows very well. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger was the head coach of the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels when he attempted to recruit Bond the first time out of high school.

On his staff at that point was Tim Buckley, who was hired to fill an assistant coaching vacancy, with JR Blount and Kyle Green both being hired as head coaches. Blount is taking over the San Diego Toreros, while Green is heading back to Northern Iowa.

"Playing for Iowa State, playing for Coach Otzelberger, a dude who recruited me when I was really young to UNLV, it's full circle. And, especially with Coach Buckley on the staff, he recruited too at UNLV,” Bond said, via Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network (subscription required).

Adding to the full-circle moment was Blake Buchanan being Bond’s host when he visited Ames following his commitment. This will be the second time they are teammates during their collegiate careers.

After Bond redshirted the 2022-23 season, both of them played with the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2023-24 campaign under head coach Tony Bennett, who knows Otzelberger well and helped steer Buchanan to the Cyclones when he hit the transfer portal last year.

“I feel like it's just meant to be and everything aligned," Bond said. "I'd, honestly, say it's the best way to end my collegiate career."

They will now be ending their collegiate careers as teammates once again, looking to help Iowa State get over the hump and contend for a national title next year.

Bond has a clear goal of winning an NCAA tournament game, having made the big dance twice but being eliminated in the first game both times.

He comes to the Cyclones after averaging 11.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks in 32.8 minutes per game.