Iowa State Cyclones Star Makes NBA Draft Big Board for First Time

A recent NBA Draft Big Board features an Iowa State Cyclones star for the first time.

Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) and Iowa State Cyclones forward Killyan Toure (27) celebrates after winning 69-72 over Baylor in the Big-12 men’s basketball on Feb. 7, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With a 21-3 record, the Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team is in the midst of the best season in program history.

A lot of incredible things have been achieved thus far this season, including a 16-game winning streak to begin the campaign. There have been numerous reasons for the Cyclones' impressive performance, with several players elevating their games to another level.

One player who has stood out as a steadying force on both ends of the floor is point guard Tamin Lipsey. A top player in the sport entering the year, he is one of the last of a dying breed: a player who remains with one program for the duration of his collegiate career.

An Ames product, Lipsey decided to stay in town and attend Iowa State for college. Now a senior, he is almost certainly preparing for what is next in his basketball career, and it could be the NBA.

Tamin Lipsey crack's ESPN's 2026 NBA Draft Big Board

Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) shoots the ball against Baylor during the first half in the Big-12 men’s basketball on Feb. 7, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In a recent 2026 NBA Draft Big Board shared by Jeremy Woo of ESPN, the talented senior guard has cracked the Top 100 for the first time. Lipsey comes in at No. 92, the 12th-ranked pure point guard in the class.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, he is certainly on the smaller side when it comes to evaluating NBA talent. But, he brings a lot to the court that teams will like, presenting a strong floor to build upon.

A tenacious defender, Lipsey is at his best on that end of the floor. He came into the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season viewed as the best point of attack defender in the sport, and he has only cemented that thought with his level of play.

The quintessential floor general, he does a great job of getting the Cyclones into their offense and getting the ball to teammates in positions for them to score. He is averaging 5.1 assists per game this season and a career-best 1.3 turnovers per game.

When Tamin Lipsey played on Team USA's Under-16 team in 2019, he played alongside six players who became NBA players.

While representing his country, he found that a mindset that's made him one of the best Cyclones of all time.

"I was not the most talented player there... I… pic.twitter.com/v1wDSLABnw

— Cyclone Fanatic (@cyclonefanatic) February 9, 2026

Only one thing is truly holding Lipsey back from shooting up these Big Boards: his shooting. He has taken a step back with his 3-point and free-throw shooting, converting only 27.4% and 65.6%, respectively.

If he can work on improving those numbers, his stock will rise exponentially. His skill set, right now, is enough to get him in the door with an NBA team, likely as a G League player or two-way guy.

His shooting is what will determine whether he can stick in the league or make an NBA roster, even as a third point guard.