There have been a lot of great players to suit up for the Iowa State Cyclones during T.J. Otzelbeger’s tenure with the program.
He took over following the 2020-21 season, in which the team won only two games. In his first year at the helm, Otzelberger helped lead the Cyclones back to the NCAA tournament, something they have achieved all five years he has been with the program.
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Iowa State has been unable to get past the Sweet 16 yet, but Otzelberger has elevated the men’s basketball team to new heights. Of course, a coach can only do so much, as it also takes great players to find success on the court.
He has coached plenty of them, and during a recent phone call on 106.3 KXnO on the Iowa Sports Radio Network, the head coach revealed who he would put in his all-time starting lineup of players from his tenure.
T.J. Otzelberger shares his all-time Iowa State starting five during tenure
Unsurprisingly, he started with Tamin Lipsey at point guard. A hometown kid from Ames High School, he helped put the Cyclones on the map as a four-year starter. He embodied everything Otzelberger wanted from his players, showcasing leadership and elite two-way performance.
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Replacing a player of that caliber is no small task. He is fourth all-time in assists and first in defensive win shares, steals and steal percentage in Iowa State history.
Joining Lipsey in the backcourt is Izaiah Brockington. Otzelberger credits the dynamic guard for helping jump-start things in Year 1 of his tenure in Ames.
A transfer from the Penn State Nittany Lions, he averaged 16.9 points per game in his one season with Iowa State, with 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals. He led the Big 12 that season in 2-pointers made and attempted with 191 and 409.
At small forward is Milan Momcilovic. That was a no-brainer selection after the year he just put together, leading the country in 3-pointers made with 136 and 3-point shooting percentage, knocking down 48.7%. No player has ever led the country in both categories in men’s basketball history.
Joining him in the frontcourt is none other than Joshua Jefferson. A transfer from the Saint Mary’s Gaels after his first two collegiate seasons, he took his game to another level under Otzelberger.
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He was selected to the Consensus All-America and AP All-America Second Teams, along with the All-Big 12 First Team for his performance during the 2025-26 season. Fans have to wonder how things would have been if he hadn’t injured his ankle three minutes into the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Rounding out the starting five is Blake Buchanan. Otzelberger had high praise for the athletic center, commenting on the defensive impact that he has. He is entering his second year with the Cyclones after transferring in from the Virginia Cavaliers.
The Iowa State head coach also selected a sixth man, going with Curtis Jones. That might have been the easiest selection of the bunch, calling Jones arguably the best sixth man in the history of college sixth men.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa-state as Iowa State Basketball All-Time Starting Five Shared by T.J. Otzelberger.
