Iowa State basketball’s Lipsey, Otzelberger net USA TODAY Sports preseason Big 12 awards

A panel of writers who cover the Big 12 Conference for the USA TODAY Sports Network released its individual preseason awards for the upcoming 2024-25 men’s college basketball season.

Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger and point guard Tamin Lipsey were recognized. Former Waukee High School and Drake University star Tucker DeVries also earned preseason Big 12 accolades.

Otzelberger was named Preseason Big 12 Coach of the Year. Otzelberger guided the Cyclones to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. They reached the Sweet 16 for the second time during his time as head coach. Iowa State finished 29-8 last season and won a Big 12 tournament championship.

Lipsey was voted Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the Preseason All-Big 12 First Team. Lipsey averaged 12.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.7 steals per game last season.

His 2.7 steals per game were tied for the fourth-most in Division I basketball. The 6-foot-1 Ames native was also named first-team All-Big 12 and landed a spot on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team last season.

Expectations are high for DeVries to make an immediate impact at West Virginia. The two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and three-time all-conference selection elected to transfer from Drake and follow his father, the Mountaineers’ newly-minted head coach Darian DeVries, to West Virginia.

The 6-foot-7 DeVries averaged 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He also shot 44.4% on the floor and 36.3% from long range.

He was named Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and earned a spot on the Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team.

Here are the preseason All-Big 12 teams and individual awards as chosen by the USA TODAY Sports Network’s Big 12 coverage team:

First team

G — L.J. Cryer, Houston

G — Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

G — Caleb Love, Arizona

F —  J’Wan Roberts, Houston

C — Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

Second team

G — Dajuan Harris Jr., Kansas

G — Coleman Hawkins, Kansas State

G — Jeremy Roach, Baylor

F — Tucker DeVries, West Virginia

F — Norchad Omier, Baylor

Preseason Coach of the Year

T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State

Preseason Player of the Year

Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

Preseason Newcomer of the Year

Tucker DeVries, West Virginia

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

The USA TODAY Sports Network’s panel of Big 12 men’s basketball voters includes Arne Green of the Topeka Capital-Journal, Travis Hines of the Des Moines Register, Jacob Unruh of The Oklahoman, Michelle Gardner of the Arizona Republic, Nathan Giese of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Scott Springer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Jordan Guskey of the Topeka Capital-Journal and Christopher Boyle of the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.