Iowa State basketball will wrap up summer practices on Aug. 7.
After a productive couple of months, here are four things to watch going forward as the Cyclones head into the fall and closer to the 2025-26 season tip-off.
Joshua Jefferson injury update
Joshua Jefferson suffered a wrist injury that kept him sidelined for most of the summer practices. He was out of the cast in recent weeks, but had not returned to team practices yet.
It marked the second-straight injury-compromised summer for Jefferson, who was recovering from knee surgery before he arrived at Ames. Jefferson ended up enjoying a breakout season that culminated in All-Big 12 second-team honors, averaging 13.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists in his first campaign after transferring in from Saint Mary’s.
“Wanted to be out there this week and was kind of trying to push Vic (Miller), our trainer, to let him come back a week early,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said of Jefferson. “If we had one more week, he’d probably be full-go next week, but not in his best interest to do that. I think there’s always ways to learn, grow and develop regardless of what circumstances you’ve been dealt.”
According to Otzelberger, Jefferson has been getting necessary downtime to recover, while also working out and maintaining his strength and conditioning, and being a mental guide in practices for the new-look Cyclone frontcourt.
Milan Momcilovic: A big winner this summer
A great homecoming started as planned for Milan Momcilovic. He netted a game-high 20 points in the Cyclones’ NCAA Tournament opening-round win over Lipscomb, a game that was played in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a short drive away from his hometown of Pewaukee. The second game didn’t go nearly as well. Momcilovic scored five points and shot 2-of-12 in a 91-78 loss to Ole Miss.
Since that painful season-ending loss in March, Momcilovic has channeled his energy into improving himself. Otzelberger challenged him earlier in the summer to be more assertive offensively, especially when it comes to taking shots at the perimeter.
He’s risen to the occasion this offseason and will look to build that momentum going forward into the 2025-26 campaign. Last season, he averaged 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds, while shooting 42.9% overall and 39.6% from 3-point range.
“If you look at the best summer, I would go with Milan,” Otzelberger said. “The consistency that he’s brought to the table has really been tremendous. When we play live and we keep the real game minutes from that live play, he’s playing at a level that’s averaging north of 18 points a game and making four 3s. Certainly would be amazing if he were able to do that or be close to that.
“There’s nobody that approaches practice having more fun, more enthusiasm, more excitement. There’s all these areas he’s taken a step in his game, from physicality, defensively, guarding the basketball, rebounding and then the volume in the shots he’s getting from three have all improved. Milan has really stood out to me. He’s made a big jump and a big step, he’s ready to play at an all-conference level and beyond this season.”
Where do freshmen fit into the rotation? Will one of them be good enough to start or be the sixth man?
As Jamarion Batemon told the Register in June, “The thing I love about (Otzelberger) is he doesn’t keep a leash on you. As long as you play defense, you get to rock out.”
Since arriving in Ames, Batemon has drawn praise from Otzelberger and teammates alike for his energy in the backcourt. While best-known for his scoring touch in high school, Batemon hasn’t had any problems buying into Iowa State’s defense-first philosophy or all-out approach on the court.
“The consistency that Batemon demonstrates on a daily basis is as strong as we’ve ever seen for many freshmen that’s come through the doors and that includes guys like Milan (Momcilovic) and Tamin (Lipsey), who have been really good freshmen for us,” Otzelberger said. “… He never has a bad day and I think that’s the thing for freshmen. So many times, they have these ebbs and flows, ups and downs, and because of his consistency in his mind and work habits, he either has a solid day, a good day or a great day. He eliminates the losing by the effort he brings.”
Batemon was a four-star prospect coming out of Milwaukee Academy of Science, where he was also the school valedictorian and the highest-ranked recruit out of the Cyclones’ newly arrived freshmen.
Being compared to Momcilovic and Lipsey is high praise for Batemon. Backcourt competition will be tough, with Utah Valley transfer Dominick Nelson also impressing early and Nate Heise looking to build off of his strong second half of the 2024-25 season. Will Batemon be able to surpass them for a starting spot or earn major minutes in the rotation?
Also keep an eye on Killyan Toure, an athletic defense-first point guard that had been receiving praise for the energy he and Batemon bring to the court. Xzavion Mitchell, who was named Wisconsin’s Mr. Basketball over Batemon and other top in-state players, is a 6-foot-6 guard-forward who can provide flexibility in lineups.
In the frontcourt, Dominykas Pleta continues to acclimate himself to the physicality of American basketball.
There’s still a long way to go until the 2025-26 season tips off, but unlike last year, when the Cyclones only had one true freshman who didn’t see much playing time, it’s possible we see a first-year player or two earn key minutes.
More team-wide speed, T.J. Otzelberger’s confidence in Tamin Lipsey
Despite being hampered by injuries last season, Lipsey still managed to earn All-Big 12 third-team and All-Defensive honors and become the program’s all-time steals leader.
With Lipsey healthy going into his senior season, Otzelberger has high expectations for him.
“We’re going to keep him healthy, and he’s going to do his part,” Otzelberger said. “His sophomore season, he was playing at an All-American level and he’s capable of it. We’re going to demand it. He’s done the work to do it. I think it’s so important because he’s the engine, and when he’s feeling really good and driving winning, everybody gets on board.”
What else can you expect?
For the backcourt, more athleticism and quickness.
“Our first year here, we probably had as much speed on the perimeter as we’ve had,” Otzelberger said. “Even though we had some offensive challenges with (Izaiah) Brockington, (Gabe) Kalscheur, (Tyrese) Hunter and (Caleb) Grill. That was a really fast backcourt, and we have that dynamic again now with Batemon, Toure, Tamin and (Dominick) Nelson.”
The same goes for the frontcourt, where there is more speed and skill, while retaining the necessary toughness to play the position in the Big 12.
“The speed and versatility that we have at those three frontcourt players at the center spot, with (Blake) Buchanan, (Eric) Mulder and (Dominykas) Pleta, it’s probably like Rob Jones,” Otzelberger said. “I couldn’t be a bigger fan of what he did defensively, and we’re starting to get some of those attributes back on that side of the floor where there’s speed, quickness, recognition, but also a level of toughness. We’ll see how it continues to unfold, but right now, those are things that stand out to me.”
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State basketball: 4 things to watch as Cyclones wrap up summer practices
Reporting by Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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