Iowa State is getting Tamin Lipsey back for another season, and that return has landed him in an eye-opening spot in the national conversation.
Lipsey thought his college run was over after the Sweet 16 loss to Tennessee, a game he treated like his final one in an Iowa State uniform. He was also honored during Senior Night in the Cyclones’ last regular-season home game at Hilton Coliseum. But the new 5-in-5 eligibility rule opened the door for another year, and because he was part of a lawsuit in Indiana, he is eligible for a fifth season with Iowa State.
That matters even more with Killyan Toure sidelined until mid-January at the earliest.
The biggest surprise, though, is how highly Lipsey showed up in Matthew Winick’s men’s college basketball player rankings. Winick put Lipsey second in the country entering the season, behind only Florida’s Alex Condon. Both players were assigned a 93 rating, along with Jeremy Fears of Michigan State and Tyler Tanner of Vanderbilt.
Winick’s process blended analytics and eye test while ranking all 365 teams and 31 conferences. The evaluation also included depth charts, coaches, how players fit within schemes, and a continuity score.
That helps explain why Lipsey landed so high. He brings proven talent, major experience, and the unusual advantage of returning to the same coach for a fifth college season, something that barely exists in today’s game. That familiarity likely pushed his offense/defense fit and continuity scores to the top tier.
The ranking also noted this: “The highest-rated player on all 79 power conference squads in my 365-team rankings + depth charts sheet. Asterisk indicates eligibility question. Only currently eligible players were used.”
There will be plenty of debate about Lipsey’s No. 2 placement, but the case for him is obvious enough. He has played and started 137 games, making him one of the most seasoned players in the country. That kind of experience can change the way a team operates on both ends.
And with several program records already to his name, Lipsey may not be done climbing the Iowa State record book either. Expect more entries by the end of the 2026-27 season.
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