Horton-Tucker reportedly was asked to join Lavar Ball’s new league

Iowa State commits Tyrese Haliburton (second row on left in white sweatshirt), George Conditt (second row in middle) and Zion Griffin (first row in front of Haliburton) sit with Iowa State target Talen Horton-Tucker during 2017 Hilton Madness on Oct. 13, 2017.

Iowa State signee Talen Horton-Tucker has reportedly been asked to join the new basketball league for top prospects started by Lavar Ball and his Big Baller Brand, the JBA. According to Tipton Edits on Twitter, more than 40 of the nation’s best high school basketball players have been invited to join the league, which will pay players $3-10 thousand per month rather than going to college, including Horton-Tucker, a four-star prospect out of Simeon in Chicago.

But don’t worry Cyclone fans. At this point, none of the players contacted by Big Baller Brand have agreed to play in the league.

List of Players who have confirmed to me that they were invited to join Big Baller Brand’s New League, the JBA. No one has accepted, very few are even considering. pic.twitter.com/ObPz95ajcw

— TIPTON EDITS (@TiptonEdits) February 2, 2018

It is not surprising to see the 6-foot-5, 210-pound small forward on the list when you consider he has been one of the nation’s fastest rising 2018 prospects and has jumped up to No. 31 nationally in the Rivals150.

Other names on the list include Oregon signee Bol Bol, Northern Iowa signee, and former Iowa State target, AJ Green as well as Iowa signee Joe Wieskamp, a Muscatine, Iowa native.

While it has not been officially confirmed by Horton-Tucker himself,  I would not be too worried about the program’s 2018 recruiting class crown jewel spurning the Cyclones to play in Ball’s upstart league.

Jared Stansbury

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Jared a native of Clarinda, Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women’s basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. Upon earning his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State in May 2016, Jared was hired as the site’s full-time staff writer, taking over as the primary day-to-day reporter on football and men’s basketball. He was elevated to the position of managing editor in January 2020. He is a regular contributor on 1460 KXNO in Des Moines and makes regular guest appearances on radio stations across the Midwest. Jared resides in Ankeny with his four-year-old puggle, Lolo.

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