Williams & Blum: Is Iowa State’s 2026-27 basketball roster final?

[SCISUFAN]

** Who are the 2-3 additional players to see playing time?????

TJ pretty consistanly uses an 8 Man rotation-
Singleton PF
Johnson PG
Bateman SG
Toure PG
Pleta C
Buchanan C

6 are pretty set.

** Who are the 2-3 additional players to see playing time?????

This is the 6 I expect will perform well. I would count in Prather because of his ballhandling and shot, but only if he will play the D that TJ will require of him to stay on the floor. After that, who knows. But what I am confident of is that we will be very good once again. Maybe Bond is Heise...esk, maybe a freshman shines, but we'll have 8 or 9 who should be Big12 ready.

 

[Cycsk]

I think that Xzavion Mitchell may be the big surprise of next season.

 

[Drew0311]

Fortunately for the Presidents, history knowledge is at an all time low.

So nobody will bat an eye when we claim President Singleton was America's Greatest lesser-known President.

I mean we have Johnson and Buchanan. That works also. Could be Andrew Johnson or Lyndon Johnson but we still have presidents

 

[HackTheGibson]

Singleton was an exception but I agree that the approach this cycle with reaching on the 3 MM guys (especially the 5-9 Johnson and unathletic Prather) is puzzling. Depth doesn't mean diddly if 2 or 3 of them are High Major busts.

Johnson was the highest rated transfer of the 5 by the couple of publications I looked at. Most ratings articles I read had him in the top 50 of transfers.

 

[rosshm16]

Blum pointed out that all 5 of the guys we brought in are 75% from the line or better.

Sounds great, but not strictly speaking a correct stat unless I'm missing something:

Singleton: 73.8% last year, 73.8% career (only season)
Manning: 69.7% last year, 65.0% career
Prather: 84.7% last year, 82.1% career
Bradley: 78.4% last year, 74.9% career
Bond: 75.0% last year, 74.8% career

On average as a group they're probably around 75% though.

 

[Kurttr]

Prather, Bond, Wiggins, Manning. TJ's not going to bring in a transfer and not play them, if they can play at the Big12 Level, and he's not going to let a freshman sit who could contribute either. If everyone stays healthy next year, we could see 10-11 guys playing consistent mins

I like how you're thinking and can agree that we haven't really had capable players (including playing D!) sitting on the bench, but it's hard to believe TJ playing more than eight until it happens.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Prather, Bond, Wiggins, Manning. TJ's not going to bring in a transfer and not play them, if they can play at the Big12 Level, and he's not going to let a freshman sit who could contribute either. If everyone stays healthy next year, we could see 10-11 guys playing consistent mins

TJ is not going to play players that do not produce and play defense, its does not matter if they are a transfer or a kid out of high school. Without a doubt he thinks all of them will play, or he would not be bringing them in. There will be one or two that cannot cut it and will not get a lot of playing time, it's just the nature of the beast, much like the high school kids we recruit.

 

[FerShizzle]

** Who are the 2-3 additional players to see playing time?????

TJ pretty consistanly uses an 8 Man rotation-
Singleton PF
Johnson PG
Bateman SG
Toure PG
Pleta C
Buchanan C

6 are pretty set.

** Who are the 2-3 additional players to see playing time?????

TBD

 

[FerShizzle]

I think that Xzavion Mitchell may be the big surprise of next season.

He’s got size and skill.

 

[iseedit]

I think that Xzavion Mitchell may be the big surprise of next season.

Either that or he's the next Demarion Watson.....

This is setting up perfectly for people to have multiple guys that they can't figure out why they are not seeing the floor and every game they complain. Can't wait

 

[rosshm16]

Xzavion's shot looked pretty good in his limited (garbage) time this year.

 

[FinalFourCy]

Singleton was an exception but I agree that the approach this cycle with reaching on the 3 MM guys (especially the 5-9 Johnson and unathletic Prather) is puzzling. Depth doesn't mean diddly if 2 or 3 of them are High Major busts.

I’d be shocked if at least 4 of them don’t defend at high major level.

You’re surprised we didn’t respond to losing proven offense in guys like Jefferson, Milan, and Lipsey via buying proven high major capable offense?

That’s not possible for non-bluebloods

We were always going to add defense and discount offense.

 

[rosshm16]

Prather worst-case to me is another Jaren Holmes, who was a pretty good player for us.

Johnson best-case another Tamin Lipsey

Singleton best-case another Jefferson

Not sure on a comp on Bond but he's "athletic"

Sign me up!

 

[Chainsaw]

I think that Xzavion Mitchell may be the big surprise of next season.

I've been wondering why the silence surrounding this player.

 

[rosshm16]

I've been wondering why the silence surrounding this player.

He was listed as Questionable on the injury report I think for most of the second half of the season. I don't remember ever hearing what the issue was.

TJ must want him on the team if he's staying, so that's a good sign.

 

[LarryISU]

I think that Xzavion Mitchell may be the big surprise of next season.

I guess I always assume if someone isn't playing, it's due to defense. So if he stays, then Mitchell has to know what he needs to work on. So, yeah, you would expect him to make that improvement.

 

[Klubber]

Whether you think it or not, Singleton and Johnson are reasonably big transfers. Singleton in particular I’m sure got a bigger bag than most would imagine. Additionally, we’ve see the need for more quality depth.

Don’t think TJ is all of a sudden going to play 10 guys. There is a difference however between and 8 man rotation where you only have 8 on your roster who can play, or an 8 man rotation with 2-4 guys capable of stepping in if needed

Singleton was one the most promising freshman in the B1G this past season on a crappy NW team no less. If he's mid-tier, then give me mid-tier all day. And I agree with Johnson as well. I think that guy's going to be really good for us too.

 

[Klubber]

It seems some people complain every year about the "mid tier" recruits TJ brings in, and they usually become big pieces of the team and outperform expectations.

I trust the coach has done that again this year

There were people not exactly wild about Jefferson when we signed him from St. Mary's.

 

[AlCyJim]

When will people learn about TJ and portal season? We do this every year. The hand wringing is ridiculous.

gotta have something to complain about and not be happy for a while. ,lets comeback after the season starts and then complain.

 

[cykadelic2]

You’re surprised we didn’t respond to losing proven offense in guys like Jefferson, Milan, and Lipsey via buying proven high major capable offense?

That’s not possible for non-bluebloods

IZB