Tre Singleton Has Transformed His Game To Become Iowa State’s Best Player

The Iowa State Cyclones have an emerging go-to player in Tre Singleton.

Nov 6, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Tre Singleton (0) scores against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Over the offseason, the Iowa State Cyclones brought in five different transfers.

Those were Jaquan Johnson from the Bradley Braves, Taj Manning from the Kansas State Wildcats, Ryan Prather Jr. from the Robert Morris Colonels, Leon Bond III from the Northern Iowa Panthers, and Tre Singleton from the Northwestern Wildcats.

Some fans felt good about Singleton going into the season. After all, he had a solid freshman season at Northwestern, averaging 7.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. But the Wildcats weren’t that successful last year, and people didn’t expect Singleton to come to Iowa State and turn into a star right away. After all, he is just a sophomore. But Singleton has been unbelievable since joining the Cyclones.

It all started in the exhibition games, where Singleton started to prove himself. He didn’t have 20-point games or unreal defensive performances, but he showed a version of his game on the surface. He was able to play off two feet well, be aggressive, and always find himself in the right spaces. He was also immensely consistent; he didn’t have his “hot” moments, but was always there when he was needed.

Tre Singleton emerging early as Iowa State's go-to player

Nov 6, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Tre Singleton (0) is defended by Southern Miss Golden Eagles guard Brandon Weston (20) at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Then the non-conference slate began, and Singleton reached a whole new level. He finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds against the Memphis Tigers in the opening game. However, his performance was overlooked as the team lost a heartbreaker.

In the home opener against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, he looked fantastic, dropping a career-high 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting. He was finally given the keys to succeed and looked absolutely fantastic. He also hit a 3-pointer, as well as grabbing nine rebounds and an assist. Defensively, many asked questions, as he hadn’t been as good as many people expected. But against Southern Miss, he finished with three blocks and a steal, unreal numbers for a forward.

The biggest piece of his game that he proved against the Golden Eagles was his post game. He showcased post moves that we haven’t seen at all yet this season, and he looked fantastic doing so.

Have a Day, Tre.#Cyclones | #C5C | @TreSingleton_ pic.twitter.com/Y4jToZwhnI

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) November 7, 2026

In addition, he was much more physical than usual, getting easy buckets and drawing fouls. He finished the game with seven made free throws on 10 attempts. Many of those opportunities came from simply being physical while also being calm enough to finish the play as well.

Singleton has completely transformed his game since transferring to Ames, IA, and looks like a completely different, much more dynamic player. And he’s completely lived up to the minutes, touches, and involvement he’s getting. He’s been immensely efficient throughout the season thus far.

Iowa State hosts the Southern Jaguars in their next game Tuesday night, where Singleton looks to continue to prove that he’s one of the team’s best and most important players.