AMES - Killyan Toure’s spring trip back to France did more than give him a break. It gave him a reset.
After spending months in the United States as part of a 29-win Iowa State team in the 2025-26 season, the 6-foot-3 guard returned to Pamiers, France, and got something he had been missing: family, friends and the comfort of home.
"It was nice to see my family, my friends," Toure said. "And we speak French, obviously. I missed that."
That time away mattered for a player who started 37 games for T.J. Otzelberger and averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals as a freshman. Toure’s first year in college basketball came with plenty of visibility early, then a months-long shooting slump that tested him along the way.
A year ago, he was still figuring out Ames. Even though he had spent his senior season at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, living in the United States 4,400 miles from home is a different kind of challenge when you’re a teenager trying to settle into college basketball and handle the spotlight at the same time.
The distance made everyday life harder, too. Calls with family had to work around the time difference, and during his freshman season he saw them only once, around Iowa State’s Christmas games.
"I could just rest and think about something else," Toure said of going home in the spring.
Now he’s back in Ames for his second summer, and the adjustment looks different. The off-court unfamiliarity is fading, and the work is centered on basketball. Toure says he feels more settled, more confident and more comfortable in the place he now knows well.
"I feel way better than before, more confident," Toure said. "Now I'm used to it.
Used to the culture and everything, especially here in Ames. I mean, people know me, and I know all the good places now."
In Other News...
Xzavion Mitchell Still Has A Chance To Matter For Iowa State
Xzavion Mitchells Iowa State season started in the kind of role that often goes unnoticed unless a game gets out of hand. He was used sparingly in the early part of the 2025-26 campaign, mostly in late-game minutes during lopsided wins, and T.J. Otzelberger pointed to Mitchells versatility as one reason the staff kept him in the mix. Even in a small sample, the message was clear enough for a young player on a deep roster: stay prepared, because opportunities can arrive in different ways.
Mitchells path took a tougher turn once an injury ended his year before it could really develop, but that does not erase the value of the minutes he already logged or the place he still holds in the programs future plans. For a team that leans on depth and flexibility, players like Mitchell often matter most when the season changes shape and the rotation needs another option. Otzelbergers emphasis on being ready suggests Iowa State still sees a role there, even if the timeline for it has been pushed back. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa States New Defensive Identity Rests On These Key Transfer Pieces
Iowa States new era under Jimmy Rogers is already taking shape around defense, with Jesse Bobbit following him in as coordinator and the staff clearly putting an emphasis on toughness and structure for the 2026 season. A big part of that reset comes from the transfer market, where the Cyclones have pieced together a group of newcomers who should help define what this unit looks like under a fresh coaching staff.
Isaac Terrell, Taase, Montreze Smith Jr., Singletary and Crawford all bring different backgrounds and levels of experience, and that mix is exactly why they matter to this roster. Some have already proven they can handle bigger stages, while others arrive with the kind of upside that can be shaped quickly if the new staff gets the fit right, and how those pieces come together will go a long way toward telling the story of Iowa States defense next fall. [Read more 🡒]
Killyan Toure Could Define How Far Iowa State Can Go
Killyan Toure arrives at this season with a clear lane to carve out for Iowa State: be the kind of on-ball defender that changes games before the offense ever has to catch up. T.J. Otzelberger has gone so far as to say the sophomore guard could be the nations best at that job, and that kind of trust fits the way the Cyclones have built their identity around pressure, toughness and making opposing guards miserable for 40 minutes.
Toure seems to welcome the assignment, but the broader challenge is what he adds beyond stopping the ball. Iowa State would love for his scoring and shot-making to become steadier as his role grows, because when a defense-first guard starts tilting possessions at both ends, it can change the ceiling of the whole team. The Cyclones already know what he means to their backbone; the question is how much more he can become while carrying it. [Read more 🡒]