Iowa State assistant coach Diante Garrett is shown during practice before their first-round NCAA men’ s basketball tournament game Thursday, March 20, 2025 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He went to Vincent High School in Milwaukee. © Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
MILWAUKEE — Christmas came one day late for former Iowa State star-turned-first year assistant coach Diante Garrett.
The Milwaukee native officially joined ISU head coach T.J. Otzelberger’s staff on Dec. 26 — and he’s been helping the Cyclone sharpen their ball skills ever since.
“That’s what T.J.’s expecting of me, to come out there and give my experience,” said Garrett, who led the Big 12 in assists as a senior on 2010-11 before embarking on a decorated 12-year professional career. “I’m actually able to be in shape to be able to hang with these guys a little bit and get them better instead of (being) a guy who just is talking guys through it, or pulling them to the side, but not actually giving them an example.”
Garrettt never played in an NCAA Tournament game for the Cyclones in three seasons under Greg McDermott and one under Fred Hoiberg, so helping to mentor and improve this third-seeded ISU team (25-9) entering Sunday’s 12:30 p.m. second-round matchup with 6-seed Ole Miss (23-11) at the Fiserv Center is especially satisfying.
“Our guys have an inherent respect (for him) because of what a great player he was and how accomplished he was in college and as a pro,” said Otzelberger, who served as an assistant on both McDermott’s and Hoiberg’s staffs. “But they also see how much he loves it. They see how much it means to him, how much he cares about it. And I think that has a great impact.”
Garrett’s seen Otzelberger grow as a coach, as well.
“He wants guys who go hard,” Garrett said. “That really doesn’t require any talent. If you go hard you can outwork the opponent and that’s what he wants. He brings that out of everybody, really. I see that now. He’s got more of a big voice than what he had back then. Now he’s locked in around the nation. Everybody knows him, so he’s been doing a helluva job with that, for sure.”
Garrett’s not the only one savoring a link to the not-so-distant past. Star junior point guard and Ames native Tamin Lipsey’s earliest memories of following the Cyclones begin at the tail end of Garrett’s era.
“(To) just be out there on the practice court challenging us and guarding us — it gives us a good look for scout when he’s out there,” Lipsey said. “It’s definitely a crazy-unique story, definitely for him as well. I bet he loves being back in this program and being in Ames, reminiscing about old times that he had. It’s awesome.”
And more importantly, having an impact on the program’s future — during this tournament run and beyond.
“Whatever they need to ask me, I’m able to answer,” Garrett said. “I’ve got the experience. I’ve played multiple years, so whatever they want to ask me, I’m here. I’m like a big brother to them.”
A BANNER DAY FOR GREEN
Kyle Green never tires of gazing at the Milwaukee Bucks banners flying high around the Fiserv Forum. After all, the Iowa State assistant coach’s son, A.J., is featured on one of them.
“I took a photo and sent it to my wife, and that was kind of cool,” Kyle Green said.
A.J. Green starred at Northern Iowa before joining the Bucks’ organization on a two-way contract in July of 2022. He’s averaging 7.4 points off the bench for Milwaukee this season while shooting 42.4 percent from 3-point range.
“You just hope and hope — you want what’s best for your kids — and you want them to be able to fulfill their dreams,” Kyle Green said. “But to have it happen, to be a part of it, is awesome, and then to be here and kind of be in this arena and see his picture, it’s cool.”
Green’s cool moments didn’t to a trip inside the Bucks locker room to see when his son sets up for games, however.
“I wanted to get in (there) and try to take a picture of his locker, but it was locked,” Green said with a chuckle. “I couldn’t get in there. They wouldn’t let me in.”
