Iowa State Cyclones Men's Basketball Star Showing No Ill-Effects From Summer Injury

An Iowa State Cyclones star men's basketball player was injured over the summer. But, he is looking good during the team's regular season ramp up.

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One of the biggest storylines for the Iowa State Cyclones as they begin their training camp in preparation for the 2025-26 men’s basketball regular season has been injuries.

Star point guard Tamin Lipsey is working tirelessly to get healthy in time for the season opener on Nov. 3. He suffered a knee injury a few weeks ago during the team’s fall practice while attempting to grab a rebound.

A 4 to 6-week timetable was shared for his return. The very end of that is right around opening night. Updates have been positive for him, doing work in the pool and some light jogging as part of his rehab.

News wasn't as positive for transfer guard Mason Williams. He had to undergo hip surgery and is expected to miss the entire season, but his spirits remain high.

Joshua Jefferson recovering well from offseason wrist injury

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Another star player whom the team has been paying close attention to when it comes to injury recovery is Joshua Jefferson. The talented forward suffered a wrist injury over the summer that led to him being sidelined for a large portion of the offseason program.

While some questions remain about how ready Lipsey will be at the start of the season, there are no such concerns with Jefferson. He is knocking off the rust now and getting back into a rhythm for opening night.

"It's been going pretty well," Jefferson said via Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network (subscription required). "Just stacking good days on top of each other right now, getting my rhythm back. But I've been playing well. Staying healthy is a big thing with me right now."

A transfer from Saint Mary’s, the talented forward had a successful first season in Ames. He was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team, averaging 13 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.7 blocks in 29.6 minutes per game.

T.J. Otzelberger setting Joshua Jefferson up for success

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In Year 2 of playing under head coach T.J. Otzelberger, even bigger things are expected from the senior. A major change is being made with Jefferson’s role, which should take his impact and production to another level.

After playing a lot of minutes at the center spot last season, the plan is to almost exclusively deploy him at the 4-spot this campaign. He is viewed as one of the best stretch-4 big men in the nation and is expected to showcase his long-range shooting more than he ever has previously.

His combination of size and athleticism is going to make him a handful for opponents to handle in the front court. 

Alas, a role change isn’t the only thing that will be different about Jefferson in the 2025-26 campaign. He is also changing his uniform number.

"Wearing it since I was about six years old," Jefferson said about changing his number. "Feel much more comfortable in this number."

In his first year in Ames, he wore No. 2. Now he is shifting back to No. 5, which was worn by Curtis Jones during the 2024-25 season.