Iowa State Cyclones Star Has Been Top Player in Big 12 So Far

Which player on the Iowa State Cyclones has been one of the top players in the Big 12?

Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger calls a play from the bench against Alcorn State Braves during the first half on Dec. 3, 2025, at Hilton Coliseum, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones remain perfect through 11 games so far this season, and they have received some strong performances from key players. 

Coming into the year, the Cyclones were expected to be a good team in the Big 12 and a potential contender to win the conference. This is a program that has been very successful under T.J. Otzelberger, but they have taken it to a new level so far.

With a couple of significant victories to their resume so far, Iowa State is now not only a contender in the Big 12, but potentially for a National Championship as well. The Cyclones will have just two more games before the calendar year ends, and conference play begins. 

Fortunately, it appears likely that the team will be able to keep their unbeaten streak alive, and that is a significant accomplishment. Luckily, they have some great players who are carrying them, but one in particular has stood out. 

Jamie Shaw of On3 recently wrote about the Big 12 Player of the Year rankings and had Cyclones star Joshua Jefferson as the top player in the conference so far. 

Jefferson is Having an Amazing Season

Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While there have been a number of players who have contributed to the team’s success this year, it has arguably been Jefferson who has been the most impactful and consistent. 

So far this season, the senior forward has averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. The star forward is shooting a very impressive 54.7 percent from the field. Furthermore, he has significantly improved as a three-point shooter as well, averaging just over one make per game and shooting 42.7 percent. 

What might be the most impressive about his game this year has been his assist numbers. The Cyclones haven’t been shy about running the offense through him, and that has worked out very well. 

With the Big 12 shaping up to be an excellent basketball conference, there are some talented players, as expected. One who will likely challenge Jefferson for the rest of the year is the ultra-talented AJ Dybantsa from the BYU Cougars. The talented freshman is living up to the hype and has had some massive performances this season. 

Fortunately, Jefferson has been highly consistent and is the top player in the conference about one-third through the season. The emergence of Jefferson as one of the best players not only in the conference but also in the entire country has been a massive boost for the program. Hopefully, that will continue as conference play gets going.