Iowa State Basketball Lands Coveted Bradley Transfer in Portal

Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger knew that he had some work to do this offseason to restock a roster that was losing several key contributors in Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Nate Heise.

The Cyclones have wasted no time addressing weaknesses on the roster in the transfer portal. Five players were being hosted in Ames for visits, and multiple have already committed to Iowa State.

Before even making it to campus, Leon Bond III, a transfer from the Northern Iowa Panthers, committed to the program. Forward Taj Manning from the Kansas State Wildcats was next to join the program.

Now, a third player has joined the mix. Jaquan Johnson of the Bradley Braves has committed to the Cyclones, as shared by Sam Kayser of League Ready on X.

Iowa State lands commitment from Jaquan Johnson

Bradley's Jaquan Johnson dribbling around SIU's Isaiah Stafford — Bradley's Jaquan Johnson tries to outmaneuver SIU's Isaiah Stafford in the first half of their Missouri Valley Conference college basketball home opener Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves defeated the Salukis 73-69. | MATT DAYHOFF/JOURNAL STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is a huge addition for Iowa State, which needed some star power with Lipsey and Jefferson gone and Milan Momcilovic entering his name into the 2026 NBA Draft. Johnson certainly has the skill set to become the next Cyclones star.

Despite his diminutive size, being listed under 6-feet tall, he was one of the most highly ranked players in the transfer portal. There is a ton to like about his game, as he could slide right into Lipsey’s spot in the starting lineup.

Johnson is a legitimate two-way impact player. As a sophomore, he averaged 16.9 points per game to lead Bradley and finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference. He can score from anywhere on the court with a .423/.383/.784 shooting split.

His offensive win share of 3.2 was the best in the conference, along with his 5.1 win share and 7.4 Box Plus/Minus.

NEWS: Bradley transfer Jaquan Johnson has announced he’s committed to Iowa State and TJ Otzelberger.

The 5-foot-11 sophomore out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has played the last two seasons for Bradley.

He averaged 16.9PPG, 3.9RPG, 3.6APG and 2.5SPG this season. pic.twitter.com/yAJfJUe6QQ
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) April 11, 2026

Playing alongside another capable ball handler, such as Killyan Toure or Jamarion Batemon, will help take Johnson’s efficiency to another level with how well he shoots 3-pointers in catch-and-shoot situations.

Unsurprisingly, he does have some struggles scoring efficiently around the rim, but having a stronger supporting cast around him could certainly open things up for easier scoring chances.

Defensively, Johnson may not have the size of Lipsey, but he can produce at just as high a level. He led the MVC with 2.5 steals per game and with a steal rate of 4.9%. His Defensive Box Plus/Minus of 4.0 as a freshman and 2.8 as a sophomore are numbers Otzelberger certainly loves to see.

With two years of eligibility remaining, the backcourt in Ames is in great hands for the foreseeable future with him, Toure and Batemon.