The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team has been featured in a lot of headlines, with the entire college basketball world focusing on one of their former stars, Milan Momcilovic.
After he withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft, his focus shifted to figuring out where he would play his senior year. He chose the Kentucky Wildcats, opting to put off his professional aspirations for one more year.
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Momcilovic isn’t the only player who won’t be returning to the Cyclones for the 2026-27 campaign. Point guard Tamin Lipsey is also looking to achieve his dream of playing in the NBA after exhausting his collegiate eligibility.
The G League Combine was the first opportunity that the talented guard had to showcase his talent. Now, he is going through predraft workouts with teams, hoping to improve his stock. One of those workouts was with the Golden State Warriors, where he spoke to the media and revealed what his mindset is going into these important sessions.
Tamin Lipsey shares his mindset for predraft workouts
Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) reacts after a play during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
“Just giving it my all,” Lipsey said, via the Warriors’ official website. “Coming into every workout and competing as hard as I can. Trying to win every drill or help my team win in any way I can. It is about playing defense and taking care of the ball.”
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Along with participating in the G League Combine, Lipsey was also one of 64 players invited to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in April. He is taking every opportunity he can to showcase his talent and prove worthy of a team using a draft pick on him.
Alas, the former Iowa State star is facing an uphill battle to be drafted. He isn’t featured in many mock drafts, but possesses some skills that teams would really like, putting him in consideration as a second-round selection.
His basketball IQ is off the charts, which was on display throughout his four-year career in Ames. He takes care of the basketball, producing elite turnover-to-assist ratios. Leadership is something he exhibited right from the start of his time with the Cyclones, even as a freshman.
Lipsey is a stellar defender as well. He was regarded as the best point-of-attack defender in men’s college basketball during the 2025-26 season and lived up to the billing.
His 2.3 steals per game were the most in the Big 12, the second time in his career he led the conference in that category. He totaled 314 steals in his Iowa State career, which is the most all-time.
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Those are the skills he is trying to showcase to NBA teams, but he is trying to have fun throughout the process as well.
“Just to stay level-headed,” Lipsey said of his mindset in those workouts. “Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. If you have a great workout, stay level and be ready for the next one. If you have a bad workout, be ready to bounce back because it is not easy with the travel and all of that. Just take advantage and have fun.”
Along with the Warriors, Lipsey has been confirmed to have worked out for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. It sounds as if he has about 10 workouts planned, giving himself as much exposure as possible ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa-state as Tamin Lipsey Shares His Mindset Going Into NBA Predraft Workouts.
