Potential Iowa State Cyclones Basketball Recruit Wants to Make Impact Early

Would a potential Iowa State Cyclones recruit be able to make an impact early on?

Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger calls a play against Houston during the second half in the Big-12 men’s basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 16, 2026, in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are having a fantastic season, but that isn’t stopping the team from keeping an eye on the future. 

The 2025-26 campaign has been one of the best in the Iowa State Cyclones program's history. This was a team that began with the best start in program history and has since proven that they can be one of the best teams in the nation. 

With a couple of marquee wins of late, Iowa State has proven that they can be a Final Four contender and potentially win a National Championship. Since head coach T.J. Otzelberger has been running the show, the Cyclones have become one of the best teams in the Big 12 and have been able to have a number of successful campaigns. 

While the team has been good, this year has been a different one. Iowa State could be heading toward history, but that isn’t stopping the program from thinking about the future. With some talented players set to likely depart the program, the Cyclones will need to replenish their roster, and that will require them to bring in some good prospects. 

One player who the team is trying to land is a talented point guard from Minnesota. Baboucarr Ann recently spoke with William Seals of On3 about his recent visit to Ames and getting an opportunity for potentially some early minutes if he were to come to the program. 

“The biggest conversation was how much the three freshmen are on the court. That just shows they play freshmen early. I want to go to a school where I can play early, develop, get better faster, and have an impact on winning.”

Otzelberger Willing to Play Freshman 

Iowa State Cyclones guard Killyan Toure | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

With playing right away being a selling point for Ann, the Cyclones have shown this season that they are willing to do that with multiple freshmen playing a significant role. In the backcourt, both Killyan Toure are playing a significant role in the rotation, with both being capable of closing out a game for the team. 

With the departure of Lipsey after this campaign, there is going to potentially be some playing time right off the bat. The team could still have Toure and Batemon next season, they have showcased a lot of three-guard lineups, and Ann could be in the mix right off the bat. 

As a Top 100 recruit and one of the best point guards in the country, Ann would be a fantastic addition for the Cyclones next year.