How are Iowa State basketball newcomers progressing this summer?

AMES — First impressions aren't always everything, but it is important to start things off well, especially as Iowa State basketball continues to immerse itself in summer workouts.

It's a getting-to-know-you process, while the Cyclones' eight newcomers try to make their mark and integrate themselves with Iowa State's five returning scholarship players (six returners in total).

They're still growing accustomed to the new terminology, schemes, and seeing how they fit in with their new teammates.

There's still plenty of time before the late-October exhibition games against Creighton and Northwestern, and the official season tip-off against Memphis on Nov. 2, though those first games always arrive much quicker than anticipated.

For now, Iowa State is past the halfway point of its eight-week summer program, which began on June 15. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger is forming those early impressions, but players and fellow coaches know there is still room for growth.

"At that point where everybody's continuing to show what they can do and on a daily basis," Otzelberger said. "I'm learning more and more about each guy and how it all fits together and I've been really pleased with the progress up to this point."

The program's expectations, demands and standards are made abundantly clear during the recruiting process. For some newcomers, embracing the challenge made Iowa State even more appealing.

"I chose Iowa State because it fits me as a person," said Northwestern transfer Tre Singleton , who played against the Cyclones at Hilton Coliseum in last year's exhibition game. "I think everybody in this country knows that coach T.J. is a really tough guy and he does everything the right way. Just having those program indicators, and just doing everything the right way.

"... It's one thing to see it, but it's another to play against it, like really feel it. I pretty much knew once I did officially enter the portal and they had reached out that this was the right place for me."

More: Can Tre Singleton fill familiar role for Iowa State basketball? | Hines

Singleton is one of five new transfers. As a rising sophomore, he's the youngest of the veteran-filled bunch.

The transfer class also includes a trio of fifth-year seniors —Leon Bond III (Northern Iowa), Ryan Prather Jr. (Robert Morris) and Taj Manning (Kansas State) — as well as junior guard Jaquan Johnson (Bradley).

"I think each guy's going to have an impact," Otzelberger said of the transfers. "We brought those guys here for a reason. You don't bring in transfers, especially guys in their last year, the last couple years without a plan for them to play and develop, and I think all those guys are putting themselves in a great position that way."

Iowa State also has three promising freshmen. Four-star big man Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan was the highest-rated of the group (No. 96 nationally), according to 247Sports' national rankings for the class of 2026.

Fellow four-star guard Christian Wiggins was the No. 1 recruit from the state of Minnesota, but he suffered an Achilles injury in June that will sideline him for the entire 2026-27 season.

More: Iowa State basketball freshman Christian Wiggins to miss 26-27 season

Three-star freshman guard Yusef Gray Jr. returned to action in early July. It was his first time participating in practice since recovering from a labrum injury that shortened his final high school season.

Off-the-court bonding activities, as well as the occasional light practice moments where the Cyclones break the intensity up with pickleball or dodgeball, have helped the new players settle in.

"It's been rather easy," Bond said. "This is an amazing team and a great team to be around and they sort of accepted me off the rip. Like the first day, it felt like we've been teammates this whole time."

On the court, returning players Jamarion Batemon, Killyan Toure , Blake Buchanan, Dominykas Pleta, Xzavion Mitchell and walk-on Anthony Rise have helped set the competitive tone in practice.

More: Iowa State basketball sophomores helping fill leadership void early

Defense has been the cornerstone of the Cyclones' success during the Otzelberger era, so maintaining that relentless intensity, attention to detail and stressing the importance of communication has been vital.

Offensively, Iowa State has to replace the scoring void left by the departures of Milan Momcilovic, Joshua Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey. Each member of the All-Big 12 trio averaged 13 or more points per game last season and accounted for nearly 60% of the Cyclones' points in 2025-26.

Here is how every newcomer has progressed and made their mark so far this summer:

How each Iowa State basketball newcomer have shined so far

Otzelberger on Northern Iowa transfer wing Leon Bond III: "He is a very versatile, athletic player. I think the way that we play and the way we do things, he'll be a guy that gets a lot of deflections, steals, rebounds, gets us out in transition. He's an athletic finisher. He's shooting the ball with great confidence as well, somebody we think could be highly disruptive."

Otzelberger on freshman guard Yusef Gray Jr.: "It's been a lot coming at him in a short period of time, but Yusef is just a competitor. He's a guy that defensively takes tremendous pride guarding the basketball, making plays for his teammates and somebody we have a lot of confidence in. Now, it's just about getting the reps and him building the confidence in the program, the reps every day."

Otzelberger on Bradley transfer guard Jaquan Johnson: "He's a dynamic player. He's really good. Somebody that's a fierce competitor, tremendous on-ball defender, high steals guy. A great playmaker, and he shoots the three extremely well."

Otzelberger on Kansas ...

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