Iowa
3 Biggest Needs for Iowa State Basketball in Transfer Portal
There have been a lot of things that T.J. Otzelberger has excelled at as the head coach of the Iowa State Cyclones, but if there is one thing that truly sticks out as a strength, it is his ability to identify players who fit his scheme perfectly.
Whether it is in the transfer portal or recruiting high school athletes, the Cyclones’ depth chart has been restocked successfully year after year. This offseason, Otzelberger faces arguably his toughest test yet.
Five seniors are departing, one player has entered the transfer portal and Milan Momcilovic declared for the 2026 NBA Draft with the ability to come back to school if he chooses. With so many potential voids to fill, where should Iowa State prioritze their attention?
Here are their three biggest needs heading into the transfer portal opening.
Capable Lead Ball Handler
Replacing a player of Tamin Lipsey’s caliber is virtually impossible. He is one of the best players in Cyclones history and will assuredly have his No. 3 uniform raised to the rafters at some point in the future.
The long-term outlook of the backcourt is excellent, with Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon being joined by incoming Class of 2026 guards Christian Wiggins and Yusef Gray Jr. However, there is a major need for some experience and depth.
Cade Kelderman is heading into the portal, which will be a blow to the depth. Ideally, Otzelberger will find someone capable of not only running the offense but helping set the tone defensively as well.
There is a lot to like about Jaquan Johnson to help fill that void. Despite being undersized at 5-foot-9, he is the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-MVC First Team selection.
Do-It-All Nate Heise Replacement
Over the last two seasons, Nate Heise has done everything to help Iowa State win basketball games. Regardless of what his role has been, whether he comes off the bench or starts, he has excelled.
Finding glue guys like that who are willing to do the dirty work to help a team win is easier said than done. But, there is one player who sticks out as an ideal target: Trevian Carson, formerly of the North Dakota State Bison.
He dominated in the Summit League, stuffing the stat sheet efficiently. It wasn’t just him beating up on lower-level competition, as he performed well against the UC Irvine Anteaters, Drake Bulldogs and Michigan State Spartans.
His skill set is similar to Heise’s in so many ways, as an excellent rebounding guard who can do a little bit of everything while providing versatility on the defensive side. However, he offers even more offensive upside with better efficiency numbers.
Power Forward Depth
If there is one area of the roster that looks shored up right now, it is the frontcourt. Blake Buchanan and Dominykas Pleta are both expected to be back. Jackson Kiss and Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan are part of the Class of 2026 with bright futures.
However, the Cyclones are thin at power forward. Pleta could play some minutes there as he did previously before joining Iowa State. Kiss has received some comparisons to Joshua Jefferson, but there is no way Otzelberger thrusts a freshman into that size of a role.
There aren’t many players in the country who make an all-around impact at as high a level as Jefferson did; finding a one-for-one replacement will be virtually impossible. But if they were to lean toward a specific skill set, finding someone who can put the ball in the basket would be ideal.
An offensive-minded forward would become even more important to find if Momcilovic doesn’t return for his senior year.
AMES — After six years and two different roles at Iowa State, Emily Ryan was named an assistant coach for Iowa State’s women’s basketball program Thursday.
Ryan spent five years as a player for the Cyclones from 2020-25 and, most recently, the 2025-26 season as a graduate assistant for the program.
“Emily’s loyalty and commitment to Iowa State women’s basketball has been truly special,” head coach Bill Fennelly said via a news release. “Our players will be learning the Iowa State Way from one of the best Cyclones ever!”
Prior to coaching, Ryan quickly established herself as a Cyclone and became one of the program’s most notable point guards.
Ryan concluded her time as a Cyclone with 1,632 points, 656 rebounds and 993 assists. These statistics marked Ryan as the third NCAA women’s basketball player to have more than 1,500 points, 600 rebounds and 900 assists.
Additionally, as a player, Ryan earned three Big 12 selections in the Big 12 Tournament, and 2024 marked Ryan as an All-Tournament Team member. Outside of the Big 12, Ryan was on the Naismith Trophy Watch List three times.
After transitioning from on the court to the sidelines, Ryan’s graduate assistant role focused on developing the program’s point guards.
The most notable point guard Ryan worked with was former Cyclone Jada Williams, who spent one season with the team.
During the 2025-26 season, Williams quickly filled the role of the floor general, averaging 15.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 7.7 assists while shooting 41.7%.
The new role for Ryan will quickly escalate as the team welcomes seven guards to the program ahead of the 2026-27 season.
“Emily made a tremendous impact on our program as a player, and that will continue as a coach,” Fennelly said.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Forty Iowa lawmakers, including Iowa House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann, are urging federal regulators to reject a request from utility companies that would temporarily halt competition for major electric transmission projects.
In a letter sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, lawmakers asked regulators to deny a complaint filed by utilities seeking a moratorium on transmission competition, arguing the move would increase electricity costs for consumers and reduce market competition.
The complaint, filed in April by incumbent utilities against regional grid operators Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, and Southwest Power Pool, seeks to pause competitive bidding for transmission projects across multiple states.
Supporters of competition argue the change would effectively allow utilities to receive no-bid control over billions of dollars in future transmission projects tied to growing electricity demand, including from data centers.
The lawmakers wrote that Iowa has repeatedly rejected anti-competitive legislation in recent years and pointed to President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at reducing regulatory barriers for new market participants.
“The utility complaint is tone deaf to the electricity affordability crisis facing Americans,” Paul Cicio, chair of the Electricity Transmission Competition Coalition, said in a statement. “Suspending competition in MISO and SPP would expose consumers in these regions to billions in unchecked cost escalation for years, guaranteeing higher utility bills.”
Utilities that filed the complaint include ITC Midwest, Ameren Services, Xcel Energy and several other regional electric providers.
The coalition opposing the complaint argues competitive bidding has historically lowered costs for transmission projects in MISO and SPP regions, while utilities say changes are needed to speed project development amid growing energy demand.
The dispute comes as energy providers face increasing pressure to expand electric infrastructure to meet demand from large-scale developments, including data centers.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Cedar Rapids Fire Department responded to a fire at a garage Wednesday evening.
Crews responded to the 1200 block of Wright Brothers Boulevard SW at 6:23 P.M.
The department says they spotted heavy black smoke prior to arrival, and found an attached garage fully involved with fire.
Crews managed to put out the fire and confirmed that everyone was outside of the house, as well as extinguished a hidden fire in the attic and concealed spaces inside the home.
The garage suffered heavy fire damage while the rest of the home had minor damage.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
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