Iowa State Cyclones Star Receives Poor Placement in Player of the Year Rankings

Where should a star from Iowa State be ranked in the Player of the Year conversation?

Iowa State Men's Basketball players Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic, and Joshua Jefferson stand for a photo during media day at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Oct. 8, 2025. | Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones were recently able to improve to 19-2 on the season and are proving to be one of the best teams in the country. 

Despite a little hiccup a couple of weeks ago on the road, in which they lost two straight games, the Cyclones are back on track. In their most recent win against the Colorado Buffaloes, the team was able to go on a ridiculous 30-1 run in the early part of the game. 

Iowa State has certainly been able to figure out and fix some of the issues that resulted in them losing two straight games, and now they have built a modest three-game winning streak. 

The Cyclones have proven that they can be a final four contender this year, and one of the main reasons why is because of the talented roster that they have. This is a program that features a star trio along with some really impressive depth that makes them one of the most dangerous teams in the country. While the overall team is strong, they do have one player who stands out a bit. 

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently released his Player of the Year rankings. Unsurprisingly, Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson was in the Top 10. However, a ranking of eighth felt far too low for the star forward. 

Jefferson Should Be Much Higher

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

It is rather shocking to see Jefferson ranked eighth with February approaching. The senior forward has been one of the best all-around players in the country this year and has two triple-doubles as well. 

So far this season, Jefferson is averaging 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. There are a few players in the country who can do what he does from an all-around standpoint on the court. Furthermore, he is also a good defender. 

Due to some freshmen around the nation really starting to come into their own, Jefferson has been a bit of an afterthought. However, he has proven over the course of the campaign to be a steady force on a Top 10 team in the country. 

While he shouldn’t be ranked number one with the season that Cameron Boozer of the Duke Blue Devils is having, he should certainly be in the Top 5 of these rankings. As the season continues for the Cyclones, Jefferson is going to have the opportunity to prove himself against some top opponents and should be much higher in the rankings.