Iowa State has a lot to replace, and Tre Singleton is right in the middle of that conversation.
With Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson all gone, plus Nate Heise leaving behind the kind of steady role that made him the team’s sixth starter when needed, the Cyclones are staring at a major reset in the rotation. One of the players expected to help absorb that loss in the frontcourt is Singleton, a four-star, top 100-ranked prospect in the Class of 2025 who spent his freshman season at Northwestern before entering the transfer portal.
Singleton was one of five portal additions for Iowa State, and he’s already leaning on two assistants to get comfortable in his new surroundings. Erik Crawford and Nate Schmidt have been central to that process.
“There’s a lot of good people on this staff,” Singleton said, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required). “Coach (Erik) Crawford and Coach (Nate) Schmidt do a great job communicating with me and trying to figure out the right places to get me the ball where I can be the most effective.
That’s not only scoring the ball, but getting my teammates involved, too. I think just talking to those guys and figuring those spots out.”
The fit makes sense because Singleton is being viewed as the player who can step into Joshua Jefferson’s spot, likely as the starting power forward. That’s no small assignment. Jefferson used his two years in Ames to turn himself into a bona fide NBA prospect, and after entering the 2025-26 season as a fringe draft name, he ended up going No. 28 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Singleton has similar ambitions, and Iowa State is hoping the path can look familiar. Like Jefferson, he doesn’t rely on elite high-major athleticism or burst to make his mark. Instead, he leans on strength, balance and footwork, using contact to his advantage.
That carries over on defense, too. He’s not a classic rim protector, but he can function as a versatile team defender.
The swing skill is his jumper, and that’s where a lot of his offseason work is going. If that shot comes along, his offensive ceiling rises with it.
For Iowa State, the appeal is obvious: Singleton has the kind of game that can fill a role on both ends, and the resemblance to Jefferson is hard to miss.
In Other News...
Iowa State Commit May Have Just Answered A Major Shooting Question
Jack Kohnen gave Iowa State fans another reason to keep an eye on his development at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam, where the Cyclones commit turned in a big scoring night for Team Herro. In a key game that mattered for tournament advancement, Kohnen showed the kind of perimeter touch that made him such an appealing pledge in the first place, pairing a high-volume scoring effort with enough all-around production to stay involved when the game tightened up.
The shooting line was the real eye-opener. Kohnen hit 12 of 15 shots overall and knocked down five threes, the sort of efficiency that can change how a prospect is viewed in a hurry, especially for a program that values spacing and shot-making. For Iowa State, it was the latest reminder that his offensive game may already be closer to ready than the average incoming commit, even if the bigger question is how that touch translates once he gets to Ames. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Enters Camp With A Quarterback Battle Fans Can't Ignore
Training camp opens Aug. 5 with Iowa States quarterback room carrying more intrigue than usual, and the conversation starts with Jaylen Raynor. The Arkansas State transfer arrives with a reputation that fits the Cyclones need for someone who can steady the position, and there is real curiosity about how his game will translate as he steps up from Sun Belt competition into the Big 12.
Zane Flores gives this battle another layer after his move from Oklahoma State, where he saw action in nine games last season but did not exactly settle the position with his production. Iowa State also has to sort through the rest of the depth chart as camp begins, which makes this less about one clear favorite and more about how quickly someone can separate from the pack once the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]