Yusef Gray Jr. arrives at Iowa State with the kind of profile that can quietly matter fast. He’s a 6-4 point guard, a size advantage for the spot, and he comes in as the latest Wisconsin-to-Iowa State connection. That alone makes him worth watching, but his path into the rotation is going to be shaped first by health and then by a crowded backcourt.
Gray’s senior season was cut short by a shoulder injury, and getting that rehab handled was the top offseason priority. Even with the shortened year, he still finished as a Wisconsin Mr.
Basketball finalist and drew interest from a solid list of other P5 programs, including Creighton, Mississippi State, DePaul, and hometown Marquette. In 20 games, he averaged 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting 57.6% from the field.
Those are the kinds of numbers that tell you he wasn’t just filling it up - he was doing damage in every area.
The defensive end is where the coaching staff has already taken notice. Gray’s ability on that side of the ball has stood out, which fits right in with what this program has valued in recent seasons.
The challenge, of course, is getting minutes early. Iowa State’s non-conference schedule is going to bring plenty of different lineup looks, and Gray’s timing matters because Killyan Toure is out until at least January.
Tamin Lipsey’s eligibility is also described as an ongoing question. Even then, Gray still has to compete with Jaquan “Bully” Johnson and Ryan Prather Jr.
Johnson comes in after earning Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Prather put up a career-best 15.7 points and 3.6 assists per game at Robert Morris before a hip injury.
It’s a difficult group to break into for any freshman, but that doesn’t mean Gray is locked out of meaningful minutes. Last season’s freshmen showed how quickly a newcomer can become part of the story, and Gray has the same kind of opening.
At the very least, he’ll get the chance to learn from a veteran point guard room. If he flashes during the non-conference stretch, he could work his way into the mix sooner than expected.
In Other News...
Iowa State Just Lost A Weapon It Could Not Afford To Lose
A key piece of Iowa States depth chart went down in a way the Cyclones could not have wanted, with Dominic Overby suffering a season-ending knee injury in the game against BYU. Coach Rogers confirmed the news on the Iowa State Coaches Corner podcast, ending any suspense about Overbys status for the rest of the year.
Overby had been carving out an increasingly important role as both a wide receiver and a special teams contributor, making his absence more than just a loss of one body. For a team that was counting on reliable help in multiple phases, losing a player on that kind of upward trajectory changes the feel of the rotation and leaves Iowa State looking for answers it would rather not need this soon. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Faces A Brutal Stretch That Could Decide Everything
After the bye week, Iowa State returns to a season that suddenly feels like it is on a narrow track. The loss to BYU left the Cyclones with six games left, and the margin for error is thin if they want to reach bowl eligibility. With Arizona, Oklahoma State and Baylor all still ahead, there is not much room for a stumble if they hope to keep their postseason path straightforward.
The bigger issue is timing. Iowa State needs at least three wins from this final stretch, and the games coming right after the bye will go a long way toward shaping the rest of the year. A strong start out of the break would give the Cyclones some breathing room, while a slow one would make the closing weeks feel a lot heavier. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Faces A Big 12 Gut Check After This Frustrating Break
A frustrating October break has given Iowa State time to sit with a loss that stung more than the final score. The Cyclones fell 24-10 to BYU on Oct. 9, slipping to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play, and now the bye week has to serve as both a reset and a reality check for a team that entered conference play with higher hopes.
The timing matters because the next chance to steady things does not come until Oct. 24 at Arizona, which leaves plenty of room for the disappointment to linger. For Iowa State, the pause also comes with a broader look ahead, including a 2026 schedule already in view, but the immediate concern is far more urgent: finding a way to turn a sluggish stretch into momentum before the league race keeps moving without it. [Read more 🡒]