A New Emphasis on Size
T.J. Otzelberger has steered the Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball program into a new era of emphasis on size, positioning the team to compete at the highest level of college basketball.
Over the past five seasons the Cyclones have risen from near the bottom of national height rankings to the upper tier, climbing from 242nd to 83rd in the country, and they have reached the Sweet Sixteen in three of those years.
The pattern is clear: the four Final Four teams in recent years all ranked among the nation’s tallest, and Iowa State’s interior was exposed when it fell to Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen due to a lack of height on the inside.
The latest recruiting haul reflects that philosophy. Five players entered through the transfer portal, and only one of them measures under six‑foot‑5. Among the newcomers are Alec Busse, Jaquan Johnson, Yusef Gray Jr., Christian Wiggins, Dorian Rinaldo‑Komlan, Josiah Harrington, Donovan Davis, Jack Kohnen, Killyan Toure, Jamarion Batemon and Joshua Jefferson, all of whom bring a 6‑foot‑5 or taller frame.
With a roster now stacked with length, Otzelberger believes the Cyclones can finally contend for a national championship, a goal that has driven the program’s relentless pursuit of taller talent.