Iowa State Basketball Fans Will Love Versatility of Class of 2027 Commit

Versatility is the key attribute that an Iowa State Cyclones Class of 2027 commit has.

Slinger's Jack Kohnen (3) breaks past Port Washington's Grady Karrels (2) during the WIAA D2 sectional semifinal game at Cedarburg High School in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, March 12, 2026. Slinger won the game, 62-33. | Scott Ash / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones have one of the most highly-ranked groups of players for the Class of 2027 in men’s basketball in the country.

In September 2024, they landed their first commit, Josiah Harrington. Earlier this year, it was Donovan Davis who committed to the Cyclones. Their most recent addition is Jack Kohnen, with all three of them being four-star players ranked in the top 100 nationally.

It is quite an impressive feat for head coach T.J. Otzelberger to bring this much talent to Ames. He has excelled on the recruiting front, and fans are going to be excited to see these players take the court at Hilton Coliseum in the near future.

Kohnen, a member of Team Herro for the Nike EYBL, plays high school basketball for Slinger in Wisconsin. His role on each team is very different, but what makes him so intriguing is his ability to adapt and excel no matter what is asked of him.

Jack Kohnen has incredibly versatile game

Slinger's Jack Kohnen (3) dunks during the WIAA D2 sectional semifinal game against Port Washington at Cedarburg High School in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, March 12, 2026. Slinger won the game, 62-33. | Scott Ash / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

His high school coach, Alexander Lavine, revealed just how much Kohnen does for the team in an interview with Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network (subscription required). He runs the offense and is the team’s best rebounder as well, creating open-court opportunities to take advantage of.

“He's 6'6", but he plays point guard for us, but he's also our best rebounder. His versatility presents a lot of challenges to other teams. He can make threes, he can score off the dribble, he can score in post-ups,” Lavine said.

Last season, Kohnen averaged 11-12 rebounds per game, according to LaVine; no one else on the team averaged more than four. While that may seem like a weakness to some people, it was actually an advantage for Slinger.

Because of how well he handles the ball, Kohnen would grab a rebound and go. He would push the pace, dribbling up the court looking to create easy scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.

“His versatility is what's impressive. Probably depending on what the roster looks like at Iowa State at the time, that might determine what you see more from him. He has the ability to do a lot of things,” Lavine added.

That tantalizing ability is what makes Kohnen such an intriguing long-term prospect. He has the skills to fit into any scheme and can adapt his style of play to the teammates around him.

Playing alongside and against some high-level competition has helped his game develop. It will be fun to see what he can do during his senior year as an encore to helping Slinger reach the state tournament and championship game for the first time in school history.