Iowa State men’s basketball newcomer Dominick Nelson talks to media at the university Sukup Basketball Complex on June 24, 2025, in Ames, Iowa.
As freshly-minted Iowa State guard Dominick Nelson hoisted up salvos of 3-point attempts a month ago, he’d occasionally shake his head and make an internal plea.
“(There) were days where it was like, ‘Can I just make shots?” The 6-5 transfer guard from Utah Valley recalled.
Nelson — the reigning WAC player of the year — had identified a weakness and resolved to fix it. He began working with Cyclone assistant coach Erik Crawford immediately and those days of frustration have largely been eliminated as the final week of June swings into view.
“I feel like I’m really comfortable,” said Nelson, who averaged 14.4 points and 5.2 rebounds last season for the Wolverines but drained just 25.3 percent of his 3-point tries. “Obviously I still have a long way to go. I’m never gonna be satisfied, but I feel like that helped a ton — doing all that stuff has prepared me. Now, imagine where I’ll be at the end of the summer? Imagine where I’ll be when the season comes?”
So Nelson’s previously confounding questions have been replaced by sky-high queries rooted in constant growth. ISU head coach T.J. Otzelberger makes it clear to all newcomers that summe workouts will be a draining grind.
Exhausting. Mettle testing. Improvement inducing.
And Nelson — who was among the top 15 nationally last season in free throw attempts — has embraced every enervating element of it.
“He’s been a huge bright spot for our program,” said Otzelberger, who’s seen another talented transfer guard, Mason Williams, lost to injury this summer. “A tremendous worker and learner. A guy at 6-5 who can really get in the pain and make plays. He’s got great length on the glass and defensively to end possessions and get steals. I love his spirit. He’s continuing each day to get stronger in the weight room and add weight, (and) shooting the ball with more confident e every single day.”
The 2025-26 Cyclones won’t lack for shooters or scorers this season, so anything Nelson gives them from the perimeter would be an added bonus. Senior point guard Tamin Lipsey — who took some time off to heal his strained groin and chipped thumb — is a proven commodity on both ends of the floor. Senior forward Joshua Jefferson can score and facilitate inside and outside of the paint, and junior forward Milan Momcilovic along with senior guard Nate Heise give ISU a pair of excellent 3-point shooters.
Milan is the only guy in the country 6-8 or taller at a Power Five school that made over two 3s a game at 40 percent (or better), and he’ll be a guy that probably looks more like three a game this year,” Otzelberger said.
Heise struggled offensively early last season after transferring in from Northern Iowa, but sank 15 of 29 of his 3-point attempts in the final 10 games last season (51.7 percent). He established season highs in points in four of those game while continuing to be a consistently stern defender every time he took the floor.
“The confidence he had shooting the basketball, that’s gonna carry forward,” Otzelberger said. “Again, another 40 percent 3-point shooter, so all those guys being dependable is gonna be important.”
Lipsey said adding Nelson’s playmaking ability will also be vital for a Cyclone team that’s reached the NCAA Tournament in each of Otzelberger’s four seasons — and journeyed to the Sweet 16 twice in that relatively brief span.
“He’s lengthy, he’s athletic,” said Lipsey, who broke NBA veteran Monte Morris’ all-time steals record for the program last season. “That allows him to do things defensively and offensively. He can fly around. He can play above the rim (and) gets a lot of rebounds. He’s active defensively with his length and getting deflections and things like that. I’ve already see it, so really impressed with his play and how he flies up and down the court. I think we’ll be able to use his athleticism a lot.”
So Nelson’s ongoing questions will become even more intriguing and inspiring as he adopts a ceiling-free approach to personal development.
“I feel like I’ve come a long way from where I was four weeks ago,” said Nelson, who’s added 10 pounds of muscle to his frame in a month. “And I have a long more way to go.”
