Iowa State lands former Virginia forward Blake Buchanan out of portal

Mar 4, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Blake Buchanan (0) talks to the coaching staff in the second half against the Florida State Seminoles at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

Iowa State men’s basketball has found its latest transfer portal commitment in Blake Buchanan, a forward out of Virginia.

The 6-foot-11, 225-pounder announced the news over his Instagram account.

“The big thing with (Iowa State) is the relationship I have with T.J. (Otzelberger),” Buchanan said. “He saw me out of high school – we kind of built a relationship there. I think the biggest thing for me is that he did a lot of the little things for me, and the player development they have for me – they have a good thing going at Iowa State right now. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Buchanan practiced under Otzelberger in the 2023 USA Basketball U-19 camp in Colorado Springs. Otzelberger served as a coach while Buchanan was one of 35 players that were invited.

“He got to coach me and I got to see the type of guy he was,” Buchanan said. “He’s a super good guy. He cares about the right things. He cares about his players. For me, he’s a big Tony Bennett fan – and obviously I played for him. That meant a lot to me. His values and what he believes in went a long way with me.”

Buchanan averaged 5.4 points for a Virginia team notorious for its low scoring games, along with 5.3 rebounds a night during his second season with the Cavaliers.

“Obviously, I came to Virginia knowing it was a defensive school and probably one of the best defensive schools in the country,” Buchanan said. “(Bennett) valued that and so do I. That’s a big reason why we got along, and why I played – because of the defense I was able to play.”

Buchanan thinks that will be something that translates well in his game.

“No matter what happens, you can control your defense – (Otzelberger) values that too and Iowa State’s one of the best defensive teams in the country,” Buchanan said. “I think that side of my game is going to translate super easy for me.”

Buchanan will have two years of eligibility remaining once he arrives in Ames.

“They see a lot more in me than I think some other schools did,” Buchanan said. “They want me to be aggressive, play free, shoot… they saw me and what I could do out of high school. I think when I came to Virginia, I was limited in ways. They want to just break me open, and that’s a big reason why I picked them – player development. They want to get me playing free and doing different things. That excited me.”