Iowa State Basketball Has Potential Emerging Star on Their Roster

The Iowa State Cyclones are going to be preparing soon for the 2026-27 campaign, and they will be relying on some returning players to take a step forward.

It was a fantastic season for the most part for the Cyclones last year. This was a team that was one of the best in the country and was ranked as the number two overall team in the nation at one point.

The Big 12 was one of the most challenging conferences in the country, and even though Iowa State had some bumps along the way, they were still a real threat heading into March Madness.

There was plenty to like about the team, with this being a group under T.J. Otzelberger that was really good not only defensively, but on the offensive end of the court as well. Unfortunately, the team was eliminated in the Sweet 16 with the absence of their star Joshua Jefferson being too much for the team to overcome.

Now, as they get ready to head into next season, the roster is going to look a lot different, but they do have one returning player who did show some signs of improvement at the end of the year.

Killyan Toure Has Star Potential

Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Killyan Toure (27) shoots in the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Coming off such an impressive NCAA tournament, it could end up being Toure who will be the next star of the Cyclones. This was a team that lost a lot of talent both in the transfer portal with Milan Momcilovic leaving, but also due to graduation.

As they prepare for next season, there are going to be a lot of new faces on the roster. Otzelberger was active in the transfer portal, bringing in talent, and it will be needed to fill some holes. However, they do have a returning starter who could be a player to watch.

After being a starter as a freshman, Toure is very experienced and now knows what it takes to be successful. Right off the bat, the young guard proved as a freshman that he was one of the best defenders in the conference. With speed and length at the position, he was able to guard most players and was a real problem when it came to opposing guards.

However, if he is going to take the leap toward stardom, it will be the offensive end of the court that will be key. Hopefully, the end of the season was something that Toure can build upon heading into year two. If he improves offensively to go along with his already elite defensive skills, he will be one of the best guards in the Big 12.

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