Iowa State Basketball: Cylones 2020-21 roster preview and expectations

Bench

Tre Jackson

With the injury to Haliburton midway through the season, Tre Jackson was inserted into the starting lineup and started the last 12 games for the Cyclones. The Freshman guard averaged 4.3 points per game and shot 33.7% from beyond the arc while logging 21.6 minutes a night.

Jackson struggled shooting the ball at the beginning of the season, but found his stride midway through Big 12 play, scoring a career-high 18 points on 6-10 shooting vs TCU. An unexpected bright spot with Jackson came at the defensive end, where on multiple occasions Jackson defended the opposing team’s best player if Senior Prentiss Nixon was not in the game.

If Jackson can continue to gain confidence shooting the ball, he could be a very valuable player for the cyclones because of his 3 point shooting and his effort on the defensive end.

Darlingstone Dubar

Darlingstone Dubar is a 6”6 Freshman wing from Charlotte, North Carolina. Dubar was a 3-star recruit coming out of high school. He is an athletic wing that is active on both ends of the floor. His long arms help him get in the passing lane and block many shots even as a wing player. Offensively, he has a smooth game where he can score at all 3 levels of the court in a variety of ways. Dubar has the potential to be a versatile bench player for the Cyclones with his uncanny ability to affect the game in a multitude of ways.

Jaden Walker

Jaden Walker is a 6”5 Freshman guard out of Lawrenceville, Georgia. Walker was a 4-star recruit according to ESPN coming out of high school. He missed a majority of his senior season with a leg injury but as a Junior averaged 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Walker is a long, skinny guard that is a jack of all trades on the court.

To go along with being a phenomenal athlete, he is also a great passer who sees the court extremely well. Walker has a pretty jumper where he can elevate enough to shoot over smaller guards without any discomfort. Steve Prohm has a history of developing NBA caliber point guards. Heck, look at his last three point guards: Cameron Payne, Monte Morris, and Tyrese Haliburton. All three guards are now in the NBA. Pretty Elite company if you ask me.

Walker will likely come off the bench for the Clones this season, but if Jaden Walker continues to develop game and body, he could come out to be the next great Cyclone point guard developed under Steve Prohm.

 Dudley Blackwell

Dudley Blackwell is a 6’6 Freshman 4 star forward from Somerset Academy Charter who put up 12, 7, and 4 as a Senior. Blackwell is an elite level athlete who will be the team’s most athletic player from Day 1. He is a solid shooter that can nail the open 3, but also take one dribble and rise up over defenders to knock down the open J from the elbow.

Blackwell will be an important player in the Iowa State rotation. He will make for a perfect small-ball four that can make shots, run the floor, and create plays on the defensive end due to his incredible athleticism.

George Conditt

Coming off a rollercoaster sophomore season for the Cyclones, George Conditt searches for consistency this upcoming season. Conditt began the season coming off the bench for the Cyclones, but after a few solid games, and a monster performance against ranked Seton Hall where he poured in 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 blocks, Conditt was inserted into the starting lineup.

But then the slump hit, and Conditt struggled to stay on the floor for the Cyclones. Conditt is an energy guy for the Cyclones that is one of the best shot blockers in the Big 12. If he can stay out of foul trouble and hold his own on the offensive end, he and Xavier Foster would be battling for minutes at the back-up center spot.

Xavier Foster

Perhaps the biggest recruiting win ever for Steve Prohm and his staff was grabbing in-state star center, Xavier Foster. Foster chose the Cyclones over Baylor, Virginia Tech, Providence, and best of all, the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The 7-footer averaged 23.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and almost four blocks a game while knocking down 37 threes at a 32.2% clip. Nicknamed, “The X Factor”, may be an appropriate name for Foster this season given his unknown role for the Cyclones. What Foster brings to the table that Solomon Young and George Conditt do not is the ability to shoot the rock.

While it’s without question that Solomon Young is the clear starter for the Cyclones, it will be interesting to see how Prohm utilizes both his 7-footers coming off the bench. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw 15+ minutes a night for Foster, simply because of his ability to block shots and knock down the three from the center spot.