Iowa State Reloads: Cyclones Land Top-20 Class in 2026, Already Building Momentum for 2027
AMES - Iowa State basketball continues to stack talent under head coach T.J. Otzelberger, and the results on the recruiting trail are speaking loud and clear. The Cyclones just locked in a 2026 class that ranks inside the national top 20, headlined by one of the more intriguing big men in the cycle: Jackson Kiss.
Kiss, a top-100 center, gives Iowa State a physical presence in the paint with real upside. He’s the kind of interior anchor who can alter a game defensively while still giving you something on the offensive end. But he’s not coming to Ames alone.
Joining Kiss in the 2026 haul are Christian Wiggins, a top-120 prospect, and Yusef Gray Jr., who checks in just inside the top 200. Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan rounds out the group, and while he’s still awaiting a national ranking, the coaching staff clearly sees something they like. Altogether, it’s a well-balanced class that fits Iowa State’s blueprint: tough, versatile, and ready to compete in the Big 12.
But what’s really turning heads right now is what’s already brewing for 2027.
The Cyclones got an early jump on that class with a major commitment from Josiah Harrington, a top-50 guard out of Eldridge and North Scott High School. Harrington pledged to Iowa State back in September 2024, and even though he missed the summer EYBL circuit with Mokan Elite due to injury, he’s wasted no time showing why he belongs among the nation’s elite.
Through six games this season, Harrington is putting up video game numbers: 29.5 points per game on nearly 54% shooting. That’s not just volume scoring - that’s efficient, high-level production.
He’s also pulling down about 10 rebounds per game and adding a physical edge to his perimeter game. His three-point shot is still developing (he’s hitting around 31.4% from deep), but the overall package is hard to ignore.
If not for the ankle injury that sidelined him over the summer, there’s a good chance Harrington would be knocking on the door of the top 30 in the 2027 class. Still, Iowa State got in early, and they’ve secured a foundational piece in the backcourt for the future.
Now the question becomes: who’s next?
With Harrington already in the fold, the Cyclones are in a strong position to build around him in the 2027 class. There are three key prospects currently on Iowa State’s radar, and while nothing is guaranteed in recruiting, the Cyclones are trending in the right direction. More on those names - and how likely they are to join the fold - coming soon.
But make no mistake: the momentum is real in Ames. Otzelberger and his staff aren’t just keeping pace in the recruiting arms race - they’re starting to pull ahead.