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Iowa State Cyclones Star Lands With Oklahoma City Thunder in Recent NBA Mock Draft

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Iowa State Cyclones Star Lands With Oklahoma City Thunder in Recent NBA Mock Draft


The Iowa State Cyclones have solidified their standing as one of the best teams in men’s college basketball during the 2025-26 season.

After defeating the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Jan. 24, the Cyclones now have 18 victories on the season. They remain ranked inside the top 10 of the AP Poll, bouncing back in a big way after going on a two-game losing streak after a 16-0 start to the campaign.

There have been a lot of players contributing to the team’s historic success thus far this season. Arguably, their most important piece has been forward Joshua Jefferson, who is performing at a high level on both ends of the floor.

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So much so, he has steadily moved up NBA draft big boards with his stellar numbers. Coming into the season, he was viewed as a top 100 player and a fringe second-round pick. More than halfway through the 2025-26 campaign, he has put himself squarely in the mix as a first-round pick.

Thunder select Joshua Jefferson in first round of recent mock draft

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Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) celebrates after win 87-57 over UCF in the Big-12 conference men’s basketball on Jan. 20, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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In a recent NBA mock draft put together by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, Jefferson has moved into the first-round. He lands with the Oklahoma City Thunder, via the Houston Rockets, with the No. 25 overall pick. His teammate, Milan Momcilovic, was also selected.

That is the third of three first-round picks that the Thunder are projected to have in the 2026 NBA Draft. They also selected at Nos. 12 and 18, coming away with Florida Gators forward Thomas Haugh and Houston Cougars big man Chris Cenac Jr.

Oklahoma City also has the No. 38 overall pick, via the Dallas Mavericks. With that selection, they land Paul McNeil, a guard from the North Carolina State Wolfpack who drew a pro comp to Isaiah Joe, a current member of the Thunder’s rotation.

Cracking the rotation of the defending NBA champions, especially with so many other talented youngsters also being added in the draft, would be a challenge for Jefferson. But he is the ideal kind of target for a contender.

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He may not have as high a ceiling as some of the other prospects in the Class of 2026, but he is certainly capable of making an immediate impact. A team that is focused on winning as much as possible and contending for another title should be taking someone of Jefferson’s caliber into strong consideration during the draft.

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He has shown excellent playmaking ability thus far this season, averaging 5.2 assists per game, which is second on the team behind Tamin Lipsey, who is averaging 5.4. The talented forward is also grabbing 7.8 rebounds and scoring 17.4 points per game.

A versatile player capable of filling several roles on both ends of the floor, drawing a comparison to Kyle Anderson, Jefferson looks ready to contribute to an NBA team immediately.

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Iowa State basketball lands Northern Iowa transfer Leon Bond III

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Iowa State basketball lands Northern Iowa transfer Leon Bond III


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The name’s Bond — Leon Bond III — and he’s Iowa State men’s basketball’s first transfer portal commit of the 2026 cycle.

Bond was one of several reported to be visiting Ames this weekend, and he announced his commitment on Friday, April 10. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.

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Bond, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, spent the last two seasons at Northern Iowa, after originally starting his collegiate career at Virginia.

Bond is coming off of a career-best year with the Panthers. He averaged 11.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists, while shooting 47.3% overall, 36.2% from 3-point range and 75% from the free-throw line. He earned All-Defensive Team honors in the Missouri Valley Conference and was one of the key players in helping Northern Iowa win the conference tournament and make its first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade.

Across his two seasons in Cedar Falls with the Panthers, he appeared in 59 games with 57 starts and averaged 11 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Before that, he played one season for former coach Tony Bennett at Virginia in 2023-24, where he played 24 games off the bench, averaging 4.1 points over 12.3 minutes per game.

Offensively, he’s a solid athlete capable of getting to the basket and making plays above the rim, while showing an improved perimeter jumper that he’s worked on over the years. Defensively, he provides versatility and an ability to guard multiple positions. His length, athleticism and motor bode well for him as he transitions into Iowa State’s system.

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As the first transfer commit for Iowa State, Bond is helping replenish the Cyclones’ roster after the graduations of Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Nate Heise, Dominick Nelson and Eric Mulder.

They also saw Mason Williams and Cade Kelderman enter the portal since it first opened on April 7. College basketball players will have until April 21 to decide if they are staying with their current schools or entering the transfer portal.

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





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Iowa wrestling taps Jacob Warner as new assistant coach

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Iowa wrestling taps Jacob Warner as new assistant coach


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Iowa wrestling will bring in a familiar face to fill out its coaching staff, tapping five-time NCAA All-American Jacob Warner to join as an assistant coach.

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The Hawkeye wrestling program announced the decision on April 10. He replaces Bobby Telford, who took a position outside of wrestling after the 2025-26 season ended.

With Warner’s hire, all four official coaching positions at Iowa are held by former Hawkeye wrestlers — head coach Tom Brands, associate head coach Terry Brands, assistant coach Ryan Morningstar and Warner. (Telford also wrestled for the Hawkeyes.)

While Warner does not have official coaching experience, being in the Hawkeye Wrestling Club allowed him to help sharpen athletes still competing in the college ranks. Warner has been credited by several wrestlers in the program for helping their development, none bigger than national champion Stephen Buchanan.

“Jacob knows what it takes to compete at the highest level, both on and off the mat,” Tom Brands said in a release. “He represents everything Iowa wrestling stands for. His toughness, discipline and relentless work ethic will be a tremendous asset to our staff and our student-athletes.”

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As a wrestler, Warner had a career record of 97-28 in a Hawkeye singlet. He took seventh at the NCAA Championships in 2019 as a redshirt freshman, earned All-American honors for the canceled 2020 NCAA Championships, then was fourth in 2021, an NCAA runner-up in 2022 and finished his career in fifth place in 2023. Warner also has experience on the major World stages. He won a bronze medal at the 2016 Cadet World Championships and was on the 2018 Junior World team for the United States.

The Hawkeyes have a pivotal 2026-27 season ahead, following a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships and a regular season to forget. Time will tell whether Warner’s official addition to the staff can help spark better results as the Hawkeyes look to return to their championship ways.

“Our fans, I see them on the street, I see them here, I see them there, I say, ‘We got to do better for you,’” Tom Brands said after the NCAA Championships. “We know that.”

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.

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Iowa State women’s basketball team adds transfer guard from Kent State

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Iowa State women’s basketball team adds transfer guard from Kent State


Iowa State women’s basketball team adds transfer guard from Kent State

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ROUND PICK. WE’LL BE PULLING FOR HIM. THE DRAFT STARTS THURSDAY, APRIL 23RD. CYCLE IN. WOMEN LOST NEARLY THEIR ENTIRE ROSTER THURSDAY. THEY GOT ONE BACK. MAYA BABBITT IS COMING OVER FROM KENT STATE. SHE LED THAT TEAM AT 16 POINTS PE

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Iowa State women’s basketball team adds transfer guard from Kent State

Updated: 10:40 PM CDT Apr 9, 2026

Editorial Standards

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Iowa State got a strong start on its 2026 transfer class Thursday.Kent State guard Mya Babbitt announced her commitment to Iowa State.Babbitt, a 5’8″ guard from Papillion, Nebraska, has been a two-year starter for the Golden Flashes and earned second-team All-MAC honors in 2025-26 after averaging 16.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. She also set the Kent State record for 3-pointers in a season as a sophomore, making 83 3-pointers at a 41.5% clip.Babbitt is the first incoming transfer to announce her commitment to Iowa State this offseason. She will have one year of eligibility remaining.The Cyclones are tasked with replacing nearly the entire roster from 2025-26 after nine players entered the transfer portal.Senior-to-be Arianna Jackson has announced her return, as has reserve guard Freya Jensen. Iowa State also brings in highly touted recruit Macy Comito. Comito led Carlisle High School to its first state title this winter.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

Iowa State got a strong start on its 2026 transfer class Thursday.

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Kent State guard Mya Babbitt announced her commitment to Iowa State.

Babbitt, a 5’8″ guard from Papillion, Nebraska, has been a two-year starter for the Golden Flashes and earned second-team All-MAC honors in 2025-26 after averaging 16.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. She also set the Kent State record for 3-pointers in a season as a sophomore, making 83 3-pointers at a 41.5% clip.

This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

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Babbitt is the first incoming transfer to announce her commitment to Iowa State this offseason. She will have one year of eligibility remaining.

The Cyclones are tasked with replacing nearly the entire roster from 2025-26 after nine players entered the transfer portal.

Senior-to-be Arianna Jackson has announced her return, as has reserve guard Freya Jensen. Iowa State also brings in highly touted recruit Macy Comito. Comito led Carlisle High School to its first state title this winter.

» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page

» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

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