Iowa State Cyclones Secure Top Recruiting Class: A New Era of Basketball
The Iowa State Cyclones basketball program is poised for continued success with the addition of a highly-touted 2026 recruiting class. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger has once again demonstrated his ability to identify and attract top talent, securing a class that ranks among the nation's best. This article delves into the details of the Cyclones' impressive recruiting haul, examining the individual players and the overall impact they are expected to have on the program.
A Stellar Class of 2026
On November 12th, the Iowa State basketball team officially announced the signings of four talented players to its 2026 recruiting class: Yusef Gray Jr., Christian Wiggins, Jackson Kiss, and Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan. This marks the fifth signing day under the leadership of head coach T.J. Otzelberger, and for the third time in four years, the Cyclones have assembled a top 25 high school recruiting class. According to 247 Sports, the newly-signed quartet ranks No. 17 nationally, signaling a bright future for Iowa State basketball.
The Recruits
Yusef Gray Jr.: A Bulldog Guard from Wisconsin
- Height/Weight: 6-5, 175
- Position: Guard
- Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- High School: West Allis
- AAU Team: Team Herro, Nike EYBL
Yusef Gray Jr. was the first commitment of the Iowa State 2026 recruiting class. He is a four-star prospect according to ESPN and a three-star recruit according to 247 Sports and Rivals. Gray is also ranked as the No. 1 overall player in his class in the state of Wisconsin by 247 Sports and Rivals.
Last season, Gray averaged 23.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 57.5% overall. He led West Allis to the sectional finals.
Otzelberger describes Gray as a "pitbull, bulldog guard" who excels at driving into the paint and creating plays for himself and his teammates. He also praised Gray's defensive mentality and rebounding ability. "Yusef Gray is a pitbull, bulldog guard that takes tremendous pride getting into the paint and make plays for himself and his teammates. Defensively, he's a guy with a mentality that wants to get after the basketball, pressure the basketball and then somebody, at the guard position, who has a great nose for the ball. He can be a great rebounder on the offensive end and the defensive end. Yusef - really love his mentality and how he competes every single possession."
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Christian Wiggins: An Electric Guard from Minnesota
- Height/Weight: 6-5, 180
- Position: Guard
- Hometown: Plymouth, Minnesota
- High School: Wayzata
- AAU Team: D1 Minnesota, Adidas 3SSB
Christian Wiggins is a consensus four-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN, and Rivals. He is the No. 1 overall recruit in his class from Minnesota, according to Rivals, and was also the No. 1 class of 2026 prospect in Minnesota by 247 Sports at the time of his commitment.
As a junior, Wiggins averaged 19.1 points per game and reached the 1,000-point career milestone. He also led Wayzata to its third state championship in five years, recording 21 points, five rebounds, and three assists in the title game.
Otzelberger describes Wiggins as an "electric guard" who is a tremendous 3-point shooter. He also praised Wiggins' ability to get out in transition and make plays for himself and his teammates. "An electric guard, somebody that is tremendous at knocking down the 3-point shot. He can get out in transition and make plays for himself and his teammates. He's really worked on his decision-making with the basketball. Defensively, he's a guy that can guard multiple positions and takes tremendous pride in his defensive ability and also a great rebounder. What I really love most about Christian is his character, his habits and the consistency he plays with every time out."
Jackson Kiss: A Warrior from New Zealand
- Height/Weight: 6-8, 230
- Position: Forward/Center
- Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
- High School: Utah Prep
- AAU Team: Vegas Elite, Nike EYBL
Jackson Kiss is a consensus four-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN, and Rivals. According to 247 Sports, he is Iowa State's highest-rated recruit and the No. 98 player in the class of 2026. He is also the No. 14-ranked center nationally. Kiss's recruiting stock rose after a solid showing at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam over the summer. He averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game at the event while shooting 65.3% from the field. He also helped the New Zealand take fourth place at the 2024 FIBA U-17 World Cup, New Zealand's highest finish in team history.
Otzelberger describes Kiss as an "absolute warrior" with tremendous playmaking skills, physical toughness, and competitive spirit. "Absolute warrior, a guy that at 6-7, 6-8, has tremendous playmaking skills, physical toughness, but most of all, competitive spirit. I love, offensively, his ability to make plays, his ability to create, also his ability to score against smaller defenders, can slash in the post and make plays. Defensively, he takes tremendous pride playing hard almost every single possession. He's a great defensive rebounder and for us, when he gets that rebound, we're going to want him to get out and push that break."
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Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan: An International Talent from France
- Height/Weight: 6-10, 215
- Position: Center
- Hometown: Montauban, France
- High School: SPIRE Academy
- AAU Team: Hustle Paris, Nike EYBL
Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan is not in any national rankings due to his recent arrival in the United States. Previously, he played for Ligoges Esporis' U-21 team of the French-Pro A league, where he averaged 11.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and shot 54.8% before coming to the United States and enrolling at SPIRE Academy for his senior year of high school. On the AAU circuit with Hustle Paris, he excelled at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam last summer. Through seven games, he averaged 16.4 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 69% from the floor.
Otzelberger describes Rinaldo-Komlan as a tremendous talent with the ability to make plays with the basketball in space. "Somebody that, at 6-foot-10, is a tremendous talent. His ability to make plays with the basketball in space is his greatest gift. He can push the break, he can attack closeouts, he can make plays in the short rolls and in the pocket, which will open up things for himself and his teammates. Defensively, he has a tremendous motor and energy. He can fly around, make multiple efforts, be a rim protector, guard multiple positions, has great versatility and a guy that can be a tremendous rebounder on both sides of the floor. We love his versatility, his playmaking ability and we love his impact on the glass on every possession."
Building a Premier Program
For Iowa State to continue being a premier program in the nation, it has to keep hitting the recruiting trail hard. While some outlets may be overlooking the Cyclones' Class of 2026, the coaching staff is confident that these players fit the mold of what they are looking for in the program.
Overlooked but Not Undervalued
ESPN's current ranking for the Class of 2026 is not as highly regarded as other outlets, with their four-man class being overlooked. Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi put together their top 25 boys’ recruiting rankings, and the Cyclones didn’t make the cut. It will be something they will quickly come to regret because there is a lot of talent coming to Ames next year.
Comparisons to Current Stars
The highest-rated recruit that Iowa State signed is big man Jackson Kiss. A top 100 prospect by 247Sports, he has already drawn comparisons to current Cyclones star Joshua Jefferson for his potential two-way impact. The Utah Prep has a strong base for Otzelberger and his staff to work with and build upon. If he gets close to replicating the production Jefferson has provided, this is a home run recruit.
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The Wisconsin Pipeline
Three-star guard Yusef Gray Jr. is yet another Wisconsin product. That pipeline has been great for the Cyclones in recent years. Milan Momcilovic, Xzavion Mitchell, and Jamarion Batemon are all highly rated recruits from the state in recent years.
International Inroads
Speaking of pipelines being created, Iowa State is making inroads overseas, bringing in talented prospects from overseas that are flying under the radar. Toure and Rinaldo-Komlan are from the same area in France, and the presence of the guard helped land the big man, who should be able to make an immediate impact on the defensive end of the floor.
The Otzelberger Touch
T.J. Otzelberger and his staff deserve a lot of credit for finding players who are not only talented but fit exactly what they are looking for. All of their players fill a specific role on the team, and thus far, they have excelled at performing them. Guard Killyan Toure looks like a star in the making. A starter in all seven games of his career thus far, he is making an immediate impact on both ends of the floor. Fellow guard Jamarion Batemon, who was the more highly regarded player, is growing into a role off the bench. Center Dominykas Pleta is also receiving more minutes with the rotation becoming clearer.
Recruiting and Exposure
Iowa State University does offer athletic scholarships for Basketball. Need-based and academic scholarships are available for student-athletes. Athletic scholarships are available for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA. If you are interested in getting recruited by Iowa State University Basketball, you should get to know more about the school, what academic programs are offered, and important members of the coaching staff - these are the people you need to connect with. It’s important you build a relationship with the coaching staff. This is one of the ways SportsRecruits can help. You can certainly start by filling out the Iowa State University Basketball’s recruiting questionnaire and getting on their list, but that’s only the start. To get actively recruited, a college coach needs to see you compete, which is why it’s important to have an online athletic recruiting profile. High school student-athletes have a discoverability problem. And discoverability is the key to college exposure and recruitment. Just having a recruiting profile doesn’t guarantee you will get recruited. You need your profile to showcase all of your academic and athletic achievements and be able to instantly connect to college coaches who are interested. If you can’t quickly find and message any college coach you want, then you’re not solving your biggest problem in getting recruited for Basketball. The Head Coach of Iowa State University Basketball is T.J. Otzelberger - make it as easy as possible for them to learn about you as an athlete and be able to start a conversation with you. 100% of college coaches and programs are on the SportsRecruits platform. T.J. Contact any college in the country in just a few clicks. Show college coaches your game.
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