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Iowa State Basketball: 5 keys for a successful 2018-19 season

By Lukas Harkins

AMES, IA - FEBRUARY 10: An Iowa State Cyclones cheer on her team in the second half of play at Hilton Coliseum on February 10, 2018 in Ames, Iowa. The Iowa State Cyclones won 88-80 over the Oklahoma Sooners. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)
AMES, IA - FEBRUARY 10: An Iowa State Cyclones cheer on her team in the second half of play at Hilton Coliseum on February 10, 2018 in Ames, Iowa. The Iowa State Cyclones won 88-80 over the Oklahoma Sooners. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /
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LUBBOCK, TX – FEBRUARY 07: Head coach Steve Prohm of the Iowa State Cyclones watches play. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX – FEBRUARY 07: Head coach Steve Prohm of the Iowa State Cyclones watches play. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

Freshmen provide immediate impacts

Iowa State basketball could be incredibly deep during this upcoming season. As already mentioned, there are several key returning players from last season’s roster. In addition, though, Coach Prohm is bringing in a dangerous recruiting class. Although these players lack the experience of some returners, it is reasonable to expect that at least a couple of them receive minutes right away. For those that do, they could just what the doctor ordered for the Cyclones to compete for an NCAA Tournament bid.

Talen Horton-Tucker – Chicago, IL

Forward | 6-foot-5 | 210 lbs | No. 55 ranked recruit

The top recruit in the incoming class, Talen Horton-Tucker‘s versatility on the wing should warrant immediate playing time. A potential starter as a freshman Horton-Tucker does just about everything on the court. He can shoot it from deep, attack the basket, make plays for others, and lock in on defense. It is hard to find something that the 6-foot-5 wing cannot do. This versatility means that he can fill just about any role next season.

Zion Griffin – Darien, IL

Forward | 6-foot-6 | 208 lbs | No. 123 ranked recruit

An aggressive scorer, Zion Griffin is a balanced offensive threat. He is well-built for the forward position and has no trouble carving out room when attacking the basket. In addition, he is a dangerous shooter in catch-and-shoot situations. It seems fairly likely that he will receive playing time as a reserve on the wing.

Tyrese Haliburton – Oshkosh, WI

Guard | 6-foot-5 | 170 lbs | No. 170 ranked recruit

Tyrese Haliburton is a versatile combo guard who has plenty of size to slide into either backcourt position or even play up as a small-ball forward. He is an above-average playmaker and scores with some consistency as well. Wigginton and Weiler-Babb are already going to take a lot of minutes in the backcourt and rising sophomore Terrence Lewis should also see plenty of minutes. It might be difficult for Haliburton to see a role right away but could develop into a stud over the years.

George Conditt – Chicago, IL

Forward | 6-foot-9 | 220 lbs | No. 327 ranked recruit

Another player that seems unlikely to find a substantial role right away, George Conditt is a big forward who has seemingly endless potential. He showed flashes in high school of being an absurdly good player but still needs to put everything together and be more consistent. If unlocked, though, Conditt could turn out to be a real recruiting steal for Coach Prohm.

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