The three Cyclone basketball players who made you the fan you are today

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cyatheart

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I was already a big fan, but there was no bigger example of being a Cyclone at the time than Dedric Willoughby. He was electric, fit the team well, and was light's out from 3.
Same, I was already a huge fan...but man he was just so damn good and such a fun guy to pull for. Only played two years but man he left an imprint here. Great player
 
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JohnnyFive

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Feb 25, 2012
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Who are the three Cyclone basketball players who most contributed to your love of Hilton and Cyclone basketball? It doesn't have to be the greatest player you ever saw play or a huge statistical performer. Who did you watch play that made you identify as a Cyclone fan from the start, or turned you into the fan you are today?

For me coming of age as a sports fan, it was Barry Stevens, Jeff Grayer, and Justus Thigpen. I spent so many hours in the driveway pretending to be one of them. I saw Jeff Grayer in an airport once a few years ago and was too star struck to go talk to him. Justus was a junior the year I arrived at ISU, and put up some legendary performances that year including the famous floor shaker against OSU and a buzzer beater against KU. Barry was pure talent, so damn smooth. All were Flint guys Johnny got to come to Ames.

Who were yours?

Julius Michalik, Fred Hoiberg, Hurl Beechum
 
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cdface

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Oct 28, 2014
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Behind Enemy Lines (IC)
Hoiberg, Big Vic Alexander, Julius Michalik.

Honorable mention to Jacy Holloway, Brian Pearson, Loren Meyer and in a weird way, Sam Mack.

I'm 38. This is probably mine as well. Not to say the Willoughby or Fizer/Tinsley/Horton years weren't critical to my fanhood, but I wouldn't be at this level if it wasn't for those other guys from my younger years that truly got me hooked.
 
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HFCS

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Aug 13, 2010
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I was a freshman Fizer’s freshman year so it was really him. Probably Tinsley and Horton along with Fizer. How good they were plus seeing them around campus and going to every home game.
 

Frak

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Thigpen, Hoiberg and Tinsley.
 

Gomer80

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May 17, 2011
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Nevada, Iowa
Big Vic, Grayer and Hornacek got the Iowa State love going. Hoiberg, Homan and Cato solidified it. Fizer, Tinsley and Johnson put it over the top.
 

CycloneSpinning

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Mar 31, 2022
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Who are the three Cyclone basketball players who most contributed to your love of Hilton and Cyclone basketball? It doesn't have to be the greatest player you ever saw play or a huge statistical performer. Who did you watch play that made you identify as a Cyclone fan from the start, or turned you into the fan you are today?

For me coming of age as a sports fan, it was Barry Stevens, Jeff Grayer, and Justus Thigpen. I spent so many hours in the driveway pretending to be one of them. I saw Jeff Grayer in an airport once a few years ago and was too star struck to go talk to him. Justus was a junior the year I arrived at ISU, and put up some legendary performances that year including the famous floor shaker against OSU and a buzzer beater against KU. Barry was pure talent, so damn smooth. All were Flint guys Johnny got to come to Ames.

Who were yours?
Hoiberg, Fizer, and Willoughby.

Kills me that I’m not sure I like Hoiberg as a person anymore. Would love to meet him and find he’s a good guy. Just killed me how he left…didn’t seem to care greatly about the timing or what he was leaving in the cupboard. Not all that different from Hunter’s departure in my opinion. And then to go to Nebraska…gross.