Iowa State men’s basketball welcomed a number prospects to Hilton Coliseum over the weekend during its 79-75 victory over No. 7 Kansas.
One of the program’s top targets in 2025 in guard Jamarion Batemon says the Cyclones are still at the top of his list.
“They’re (Iowa State is) pretty much sit at the top,” Batemon said. “It’s really like them and Marquette. They’re my top 2 right now. I’ve talked to Illinois, too. They’re up there. Stanford has been reaching out a lot recently, trying to build that connection. Cal reached out, too, but yeah, right now Iowa State’s up there.”
Batemon is rated as the No. 150 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class as well as the No. 19 guard in the country by 247 Sports.
The Wisconsin prospect doesn’t have a set date that he will make a decision by regarding his commitment, but will rather go off of feel and commit when he feels certain.
“I’m not sure, really,” Batemon said. “It just depends on how it all plays out. If I just get to the point where I’m like, ‘Man, this is where I want to go,’ then that will just be it. I’m kind of just weighing it all out and making sure 100 percent right for me.”
Batemon said the conversations during the visit surrounded the atmosphere inside Hilton Coliseum and how the staff sees him fitting into a role on their team.
“Man, it was really good,” Batemon said. “It was amazing. I love how – it’s always (games with) two teams that don’t like each other. They want beat each other. To have that kind of environment to match with that, it was amazing. Super loud, it was great.”
“It was pretty much about how I would thrive in that kind of environment, how I fit in what they like to do and how they play,” Batemon said.
The 6-foot-3 prospect out of the Milwaukee Academy of Science prides himself in making effort plays and could see himself in Ames when it’s all said and done.
“The most important one is just like the effort,” Batemon said of where Iowa State sees him fitting in. “Everything that doesn’t have to do with scoring – so like defending, rebounding, getting the 50-50 balls, all of the extra things. They really take pride in those things, as well as me. And then, to add the offensive skills that I bring and playing with a coach like (T.J. Otzelberger), who lets you play free. I see a lot of things where I can see myself out there playing in that jersey.”
