T.J. Otzelberger Praises Freshman Who Is Iowa State Cyclones Most Improved Player

An Iowa State Cyclones freshman has received a lot of praise from head coach T.J. Otzelberger.

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The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team is going to feature a lot of new faces in the rotation this season. Several key contributors from last year are no longer with the squad, whether it be transfers or eligibility exhaustion.

The frontcourt is where head coach T.J. Otzelberger is going to have a new look. Dishon Jackson, last season’s starter in the middle, transferred to the Pittsburgh Panthers. His backup, Brandton Chatfield, graduated.

Joshua Jefferson played a ton of minutes at the 5-spot, but he is expected to be deployed almost exclusively at the 4-spot in the 2025-26 campaign. That means an entirely new rotation in the middle.

Virginia Cavaliers transfer Blake Buchanon is one player to keep an eye on. As is Eric Mulder, a transfer from Purdue Fort Wayne who specializes in offensive rebounding and efficiency on that end of the court.

Dominykas Pleta drawing praise from T.J. Otzelberger

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Another big man drawing attention is Dominykas Pleta. He is an international player who comes to Iowa State and hails from Germany.

Classified as a freshman, he has experience that will be matched by very few college basketball players. He is already 21 years old and has played professionally in Europe. The coaching staff has loved the talent he has showcased already.

"Pleta, he's a very gifted basketball player," Otzelberger said, via Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network (subscription required). "He's going to be a really good player for us."

Pleta didn’t get to Ames until July after he got his international travel visa approved. He will provide the frontcourt with a different look, given his size and background.

Last season, Jackson and Chatfield provided imposing size. Both measured in at 6-foot-10 and at least 235 pounds. Asking Pleta to play exactly like them would be a detriment, but there is an expectation in place of what Otzelberger is expecting from his big men.

Opportunity exists for Dominykas Pleta to seize

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From his time getting on campus in July through regular season preparations beginning this week at media day, there isn’t a player who has made more strides in his development.

"He's climbing really fast," Otzelberger said. "I mean, if you said, 'Who's the most improved since we started practice in June?' Dominykas, no question. In terms of just where he was at and where he's come to. He has a really good feel. He has a want to.”

There is a lot of competition for minutes in the middle for the Cyclones. Pleta will have to earn his way into the mix, and it could take some time as he adjusts to living in the United States and learning a new system.

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Get to Know Dominykas Pleta.#Cyclones | #C5C | @dpleta_ pic.twitter.com/8Z9iGA08dX

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) September 3, 2025

However, the talent is certainly there for him to make an impact. He may not be heavily involved right out of the gate, and the exhibition games will be big for him.

But, as the campaign moves along, he should see his role grow more and more. The skill set and IQ are both advanced enough to help Iowa State win some basketball games.