Iowa State Basketball Sophomore Dealt with Shoulder Issue

The 2026 offseason has been a whirlwind for the Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team.

Their roster underwent major changes with Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Nate Heise all exhausting their eligibility. Milan Momcilovic tested the NBA draft waters and eventually transferred to the Kentucky Wildcats, meaning half the rotation from the 2025-26 season isn’t returning.

Head coach T.J. Otzelberger had to add at least two assistants to the staff, with JR Blount and Kyle Green being hired as the head coaches for the San Diego Toreros and Northern Iowa Panthers, respectively.

More changes are coming with athletic director Jamie Pollard announcing his retirement, which will undoubtedly bring up questions about Otzelberger’s future with the program. It was one of many topics the head coach covered in his media availability, along with the reveal that one player has been dealing with a shoulder issue.

Killyan Toure battled shoulder ailment this offseason

Iowa State Cyclones fguard Killyan Toure (27) talks to media during the university’s basketball media day. — Iowa State Cyclones fguard Killyan Toure (27) talks to media during the university’s basketball media day at Hilton Coliseum on October. 8, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

At about the 3:26 mark of the video, a reporter asks about the status of Killyan Toure. Otzelberger shared that the guard was dealing with a shoulder ailment that was at times during his freshman year.

Something worsened a few months ago, with the talented guard dealing with some irritation and aggravation, but he is encouraged by the progress that has been made.

Toure has already returned to practice, and Otzelberger doesn’t see it as being an issue moving forward, which is certainly encouraging.

The injury has not kept him from being on the court, as the head coach also shared that if the team was set to play a game, everyone would be available other than the two incoming freshmen, Yusef Gray Jr. and Christian Wiggins, who are rehabbing from injuries.

That is great news for Toure, as he is set to take over a much bigger role during his sophomore year. With Lipsey no longer in the mix, he is going to be counted on as the point-of-attack defender to set the tone for his teammates on that end of the court.

Lipsey has been the floor general for Iowa State for the last four years, but he spoke very highly of his freshman teammate throughout the 2025-26 campaign. He believed Toure was ready to eventually take over for him, and he will now get that chance during the 2026-27 season.

The international product will be looking to build upon a very successful freshman campaign in which he averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals in 25.3 minutes per contest while playing a complementary role.

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