Iowa

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

Published

2 weeks ago

January 26, 2026

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

Naturalization ceremony at Iowa Capitol welcomes 40 new citizens

Published

10 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Press Room

Naturalization ceremony at Iowa Capitol welcomes 40 new citizens

Beneath the Iowa State Capitol rotunda, 40 people from 20 countries raised their right hands, pledged allegiance to the United States and became American citizens.

The ceremony, held Friday, Feb. 6, as part of Iowa’s America 250 celebration, brought families and state officials into the marble-lined hall as the oath was read aloud and new citizens stood facing the flag.

The candidates came from Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Lithuania, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Ireland, Liberia, Mexico, the Philippines, Russia, Spain, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Gov. Kim Reynolds welcomed the group.

“Iowa has always been enriched by the hopes and hard work of immigrants, people who come here seeking a better life, who bring diverse experiences and a deep appreciation for the promise of freedom,” Reynolds said. “Each of you comes with your own story, your own journey and your own reasons for choosing America, and today, Iowa is proud to welcome you home.”

Secretary of State Paul Pate called on the new citizens to exercise their newly gained rights.

“In light of this, I have one request to make of you today,” he said. “Will you register to vote?”

He added: “Every vote counts, and so will yours.”

U.S. Magistrate Judge William P. Kelley, who presided over the oath, said that citizenship did not require abandoning personal identity.

“What you solemnly renounce in that oath is allegiance to the government of another land. You did not renounce, or need to ever renounce, the devotion you carry in your heart for your native land and its people,” Kelley said. “I hope you preserve your native language, heritage and culture. Doing so enriches not only the lives of those in your family, it also enriches America and the great state of Iowa.”

For many in the crowd, the ceremony marked the end of years or decades of waiting.

Augustine Cardenas, who came to the United States from Mexico at 19 and is now 53, said the setting made the moment feel even more significant.

“I feel great, it’s been too long, I’m so excited, I’ve waited for this day and am full of joy,” he said. Looking up at the rotunda ceiling, he said, “I just love Iowa, it’s so beautiful, the weather is crazy but I love it, you can live every season, and you can feel it too.”

Sonya Carminhato, originally from Brazil, said becoming a citizen was “a dream come true.”

“It’s a new step for my life,” she said. “Iowa is a great state, I love Iowa, and I love Fairfield.”

She has lived in Fairfield for more than a decade and now works as a human resources manager at Maharishi School, where her children studied. She now helps care for her three granddaughters.

Edwin Coplin, 44, said he moved from the Dominican Republic at 17 to play basketball at a Florida high school before attending Des Moines Area Community College and eventually settling in Iowa.

He said the day felt like relief after years of uncertainty.

“It’s been a long journey, but I’m finally here,” Coplin said. “It feels good, it feels great, it feels like taking something heavy off your shoulders … I love Iowa, the people are so nice, Iowa nice.”

Nick El Hajj is a reporter at the Register. He can be reached at nelhajj@gannett.com. Follow him on X at @nick_el_hajj.

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Iowa

3 keys to the game for Iowa State women’s basketball vs Utah

Published

22 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Press Room

3 keys to the game for Iowa State women’s basketball vs Utah

AMES – When Iowa State women’s basketball’s long break in the Big 12 season arrived, the team had just gotten back on track.

The Cyclones picked up their fourth-straight win, had knocked off another ranked opponent and were getting some much-needed momentum.

But the way coach Bill Fennelly looks at it, the break couldn’t have come at a better time.

“Our team needed it,” Fennelly said.

The Cyclones (18-5, 6-5 Big 12) will find out if the extended break helped when they begin an important road trip that kicks off when they travel to Utah (16-7, 7-4) for a Feb. 7 game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. The 6 p.m. CT contest will be the Cyclones’ first game since a Jan. 31 win over UCF.

“I think overall it came at a good time for us,” Fennelly said.

It’s easy to see why fans may not have wanted the break to come when it did. Iowa State just regrouped following a five-game losing streak that nearly derailed the season. The Cyclones picked up wins over Cincinnati and Arizona. They then knocked off No. 20 Texas Tech on Jan. 28.

But Fennelly believes his team needed a breather as the roster dealt with injuries. Point guard Jada Williams hadn’t been feeling well. Guard Reese Beaty had missed time with a foot injury. Fellow guard Arianna Jackson missed three games with a knee injury. Forward Addy Brown has been out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

Those injuries took thier toll on the Cyclones, with Fennelly having to go deep into his bench as they tried to get back on track. With so many players dealing with so many things, simply practicing had gotten difficult. The time off allowed them to get some rest and regroup.

“We had some kids that were physically wobbling and the rest probably outweighed anything,” Fennelly said.

Players got the day after the win over UCF off. The team had light workouts over the next two days and then got another day off. Fennelly hopes that by keeping them off their feet for some time, the Cyclones will be able to sprint to the finish line of the regular season.

It could be a mad dash for Iowa State, which may still be trying to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. At the very least, the Cyclones will be trying to improve their seeding. There will be tons of shots to impress with seven regular season games remaining. The next few days will be huge with road games at Utah and then at BYU on Feb. 10.

“Definitely huge,” said Iowa State senior Sydney Harris.

Here are three things to keep an eye on during the Cyclones’ trip to Utah.

Don’t overlook Utah

Utah’s record doesn’t stand out, but the Utes’ resume certainly does. Utah took down now No. 12 TCU in overtime back on Jan. 3. The Utes also toppled West Virginia, currently ranked No. 20, on Jan. 27. They’re also coming off a 67-57 win at UCF. So, it won’t be an easy matchup for Iowa State.

Can the Cyclones survive the extended road trip?

This will be an important stretch for Iowa State, which won’t be home for a while. The Cyclones play at Utah on Feb. 7 and then travel to BYU on for a game on Feb. 10. Iowa State won’t make the trip back to Ames in between games. The next time the Cyclones play in Ames will be on Feb. 15 against Kansas State. Iowa State has had mixed results on the road, going 3-3 in true road games this season, though they are 2-0 in neutral-site games.

Will there be any rust to shake off for Iowa State women’s basketball?

The Cyclones are coming off one of their uglier wins of the season, a 65-62 victory over UCF on Jan. 31. Iowa State was in control for most of the game, but it still wasn’t pretty. It shot just 25% (9-of-36) from 3-point range and only 54.5% (6-of-11) from the free throw line.

So, with the ugly win and the long layoff, who knows what to expect from Iowa State early on?

Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020, 2023 and 2025 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.

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Iowa

Minnesota women beat No. 10 Iowa for 5th straight victory

Published

1 day ago

February 5, 2026

Press Room

Minnesota women beat No. 10 Iowa for 5th straight victory

February 5, 2026 / 8:48 PM CST
/ AP

Grace Grocholski scored 21 points, Mara Braun added 16 and Minnesota beat No. 10 Iowa 91-85 on Thursday night for its fifth straight victory.

The Gophers (17-6, 8-4 Big Ten) have the program’s longest winning streak in Big Ten play since the 2018-19 season. The Hawkeyes (18-5, 9-3) lost their third consecutive game since they lost starting guard Taylor McCabe, the team’s leading 3-point shooter, to a season-ending knee injury.

Minnesota led for almost all of the final three quarters, shooting 51.6% for the game while going 10 of 14 in 3-pointers. The Gophers, whose biggest lead was 77-57 with 7:51 to play, had a 41-28 rebounding advantage.

It was Minnesota’s first road win over a top-10 team since 2005.

Tori McKinney added 15 points for Minnesota. Amaya Battle had 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Finau Tonga had 10 points.

Ava Heiden led Iowa with 24 points. Chazadi Wright had 20 points and a career-high 12 assists. Journey Houston had 15 points and Hannah Stuelke added 14.

The Hawkeyes were coming off a West Coast trip in which they went out in a tie for the Big Ten lead and then lost by a combined 35 points to USC and Big Ten leader UCLA. This game wasn’t much better.

Minnesota led 49-39 at halftime, taking advantage of a 13-3 run to open the second quarter. The Gophers shot 64.3% from the field in the quarter, making all four of their 3-point attempts while their defense shut down the Hawkeyes. Iowa made nine of its 12 shots in the first quarter, but made just 5 of 17 shots in the second quarter, getting outrebounded by the Gophers 13-6 in the quarter.

Iowa had its 11-game winning streak over the Gophers snapped.