AMES - Ryan Prather Jr. spent part of his summer in paintball gear with Iowa State teammates, and that was only a small part of the transfer guard’s long road back to the court.
The 6-foot-4 guard from Robert Morris is still coming off surgery to repair a sports hernia, but he said the work is paying off. Prather returned to practice about three weeks ago and should be available when the Cyclones open exhibition play at noon Sunday against Creighton at Hilton Coliseum.
“I felt like that just really helped us come together. Even though it’s something as silly as paint balling, it just goes to show that we were all in towards a common goal, just trying to get everybody out,” Prather said of the team’s day on the paintball course.
He also made sure the coaching staff felt the sting.
“I took out a few people,” he said. “(New assistant) coach Al (Hanson) for sure, and a few other coaches.”
That kind of chemistry matters because Iowa State’s roster is still taking shape. The Cyclones get Creighton in an exhibition rematch after last season’s meeting went to the Bluejays, 71-58, in Omaha. Iowa State answered five months later with a 78-60 win over Creighton in the Player Era Championship event in Las Vegas.
For head coach T.J. Otzelberger, the exhibition season is about evaluation and growth, not the scoreboard.
“There’s room in front of us for growth and development,” Otzelberger said. “We’re gonna continue to do the hard work each day, but (I’m) just really enjoying these guys, and I can’t wait for all of you to be able to see them, as well, because they’re a fun group to coach.”
Sunday’s lineup may not look much like the version Iowa State expects to roll out in conference play. Sophomore guard Killyan Toure is out until at least January after shoulder surgery, and fifth-year point guard Tamin Lipsey’s eligibility remains unresolved as his NCAA legal disputes continue.
That leaves plenty of opportunity for Prather, who led the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio last season at 4.44-to-1. He could see a heavy workload as he eases back into game shape alongside transfers Jaquan Johnson and Leon Bond III, plus returning guard Jamarion Batemon and others.
“I feel like we have tremendous depth, for sure,” Prather said. “I feel like we’re super talented and skilled, and I feel like we’re gelling really well.
I just feel like we’ve got a lot to prove as a team and we’ve been working tremendously to get here. Obviously, there’s still more work to be done, but once it’s all said and done - and everybody’s out there - I feel like we’re gonna be an amazing team.”
Prather also shot 37.8 percent from 3-point range last season, and he could settle in as a valuable depth piece - or something bigger - on a team picked by Big 12 coaches to finish fourth in the league.
For now, he’s focused on the same thing Iowa State has been building toward all summer: making each possession count.
“We all have the same goal,” he said. “Just trying to attack every possession and every play.”
Iowa State men’s basketball 2026-27
Head coach: T.J. Otzelberger (11th season overall, sixth season at ISU season; 223-116 overall; 124-53 at ISU)
Last season: 29-8 (12-6 in Big 12, T-3rd), Big 12 Tournament semifinalist, NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
Returning starters (3): G Tamin Lipsey, G Killyan Toure, F Blake Buchanan
Other returners: G Jamarion Batemon, F Dominykas Pleta, F Xzavion Mitchell, G Anthony Rise
Newcomers: G Leon Bond III, G Jaquan Johnson, F Tre Singleton, F Taz Manning, G Ryan Prather Jr., G Christian Wiggins, G Yusef Gray Jr., F Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan.
Schedule highlights: Oct. 28 - Creighton (exhibition opener); Nov. 2 - vs.
Memphis (season opener at Sioux Falls, S.D.); Nov. 24-28 - vs. San Diego State and TBA (at Las Vegas); Dec.
5 - Purdue; Dec. 10 - at Iowa; Jan. 2 - Arizona (Big 12 opener); Jan. 13 - at Houston; Jan. 16 - at Texas Tech; Jan.
20 - BYU; Feb. 13 - Kansas; Feb. 23 - at Baylor; March 1 - at Kansas; March 9-13 - Big 12 Tournament, at Kansas City.
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