Potential Roles for Transfers Visiting Iowa State Basketball

The Iowa State Cyclones have a unique group of transfers set to visit Ames.

Mar 20, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Robert Morris Colonials guard Ryan Prather Jr. (2) shoots during practice at Rocket Arena. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

This past season, the Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team had a great roster full of star players and supporting talent that propelled them to a Sweet Sixteen appearance.

But after many left in the offseason, the Cyclones need to bring in new talent if they want to become a contender again.

This weekend, Iowa State is bringing five potential transfer targets to Ames, IA. Here, they will look to commit as many as possible, giving the Cyclones a perfect mix of players for the upcoming 2026-27 season.

The five players are Jaquan Johnson, Ryan Prather Jr., Tre Singleton, Leon Bond, and Taj Manning. Let’s take a look at what each player’s role could be with the Cyclones.

Jaquan Johnson - Star Player

Bradley's Jaquan Johnson shoots over the Dayton defense in the first half of their first-round NIT game Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves were eliminated by the Flyers 80-66. | MATT DAYHOFF/JOURNAL STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Johnson is an unbelievable player. He dominated last season for the Bradley Braves, averaging 16.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.

He’s a dynamic guard and scores the ball immensely well, especially as just a sophomore. Johnson looks like he would fit very well alongside Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon.

And that’s essentially the goal of Iowa State’s portal: to find a player that fits alongside their current core to replace departing stars.

Ryan Prather Jr. - Star Player

Nov 4, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Robert Morris Colonials guard Ryan Prather Jr. (2) goes to the basket as Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (14) defends during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Prather Jr. is similar to Johnson, with almost identical stat lines. He averages 15.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game for the Robert Morris Colonials.

He has a height advantage on Johnson, being 6-foot-5 compared to 5-foot-11, but isn’t exactly the scorer Johnson is. Regardless, he would come in, turn Iowa State into a team with massive size, and could be the Cyclones' best player next season.

Tre Singleton - Starter

Mar 7, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Northwestern Wildcats forward Tre Singleton (8) dunks the ball as Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Grayson Grove (2) defends during the second half at Williams Arena. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Outside of a lead guard, Singleton could potentially be the hit of the offseason. He isn’t widely regarded as a top player in the portal, but he could be great for Iowa State.

He averaged 7.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game as just a freshman for the Northwestern Wildcats. Coming to the Cyclones, he probably would become a starter and a player who could help solidify the starting unit, viewed as a replacement for Joshua Jefferson.

Leon Bond III - Role Player

Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; St. John's Red Storm guard Joson Sanon (3) controls the ball against Northern Iowa Panthers forward Leon Bond III (35) in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Bond averaged 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game for the Northern Iowa Panthers, just a few hours away from Ames. In the 2026 NCAA Tournament, he put up 12 points against the St. John’s Red Storm.

Bond III is a solid player, fitting well into Northern Iowa’s system, but probably would be a key player for the Cyclones. If he commits, he can offer depth across the frontcourt.

Taj Manning - 7th Man

Mar 3, 2026; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats forward Taj Manning (15) is guarded by West Virginia Mountaineers center Harlan Obioha (55) and forward Brenen Lorient (0) during the second half at Bramlage Coliseum. | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

For the Kansas State Wildcats last season, Manning averaged 4.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, some solid numbers for a Power Conference team.

Manning would be the ultimate glue guy for Iowa State. A culture player that hustles and gets rebounds at a high level. Coming off the bench, he would be similar to Dominykas Pleta from last year, just providing more experience and being a much better rebounder.