Way Too Early Prediction of Iowa State Basketball’s Rotation

Mar 13, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones coach TJ Otzelberger during the first half against the Brigham Young Cougars at T-Mobile Center. William Purnell-Imagn Images

Way Too Early Prediction of Iowa State Basketball’s Rotation

Originally posted on Iowa State Cyclones on SI
By Lucca Mazzie | Last updated Apr 18, 2026 8:00 PM ET

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After a hectic few days to begin the offseason, it looks like the Iowa State Cyclones may be finished with their roster tinkering. They currently have 15 players on their roster, and it looks like everything may be set in stone.

Now, there is still a lot of time in the offseason. Heck, Iowa State doesn’t play until early November. But regardless, hype is building for the season quickly.

Let’s take a look at a way-too-early lineup projection for the Cyclones next season.

The starting point guard will be Jaquan Johnson. After transferring from the Bradley Braves, Johnson looks to become the replacement for Tamin Lipsey. He will be a lead scorer and arguably the best defender on the team as well.

Iowa State's starting lineup could have two newcomers

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The only argument for the best defender could be the starting shooting guard, Killyan Toure. He was key for Iowa State this past season, especially during non-conference play, and will return for his sophomore year. Toure is a great defender and does a solid job creating offense even off the ball.

The small forward should be Jamarion Batemon. The Cyclones' top recruit in the Class of 2025 had a phenomenal freshman season, becoming a great 3-and-D player off the bench. The spark plug will now get a starting spot and could be one of their leading scorers.

At power forward should be another newcomer, Tre Singleton. Singleton played for the Northwestern Wildcats in his freshman season, where he showed tons of potential in a solid role. He will likely be one of three sophomores starting for Iowa State next season.

The starting center should be another returner, Blake Buchanan. He was a serviceable starter last season and should take a step up in a bigger offensive role this year.

Depth will be strength of Cyclones next season

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The lead guard off the bench will be Ryan Prather Jr., a transfer from the Robert Morris Colonials. He was their top player and scorer, and should be a great leader for the Cyclones' second unit. He may be the only guard off the bench, though, as they may run a nine-man rotation.

The backup small forward will be Leon Bond III, who recently transferred from the Northern Iowa Panthers. He did a great job last season with the Panthers, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and should bring that to Iowa State.

The backup power forward will be Taj Manning. He transferred in from the Kansas State Wildcats and brings rebounding to the squad. His transition will be the easiest of the transfers, as he has already played in the Big 12.

The backup center will be Dominykas Pleta. Last year, the freshman showed promise with the Cyclones and could be one of Iowa State’s top players off the bench. He’ll learn from Buchanan for another season before taking things to the next level.

This article first appeared on Iowa State Cyclones on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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