Iowa State Basketball Coaches Building on Relationship With Commit

The Iowa State Cyclones are going to look a lot different on the sidelines during the 2026-27 season than they have in the first few years of T.J. Otzelbeger’s tenure as head coach.

While he agreed to a 10-year extension to stay with Iowa State, two of his assistant coaches moved on this offseason to become head coaches. JR Blount accepted the offer to lead the San Diego Torerros, while Kyle Green is heading to the Northern Iowa Panthers.

Taking their place on the coaching staff will be Tim Buckley and Allan Hanson, coming from the Cincinnati Bearcats and Bradley Braves, respectively. They have wasted no time, hitting the ground running when it comes to acclimating themselves to the Cyclones.

That includes building upon the relationship with recruits who have committed to the program. One such player is Josiah Harrington, who recently spoke about the relationship he is building with the coaching staff.

Josiah Harrington building upon relationship with Iowa State coaches

Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger speaks during the postgame press conference. — Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger speaks during the postgame press conference after the game against the Kentucky Wildcats during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. | Jeff Le-Imagn Images

“Coach TJ and Coach Schmidt were down in Memphis, and I’ve been on calls with the new coaches frequently,” he said, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required). “I’ve already built great relationships with them. Coach (Tim) Buckley came down to school with Coach TJ, and it was great to meet him. He’s a great guy. I’m excited for that.”

Harrington played in the EYBL Memphis Live Period recently and was named one of the standout performers out of the thousands of players who participated. It was a great opportunity for him to showcase his talent in front of the coaches, against some top-tier competition.

During his conversations with the coaching staff, they have been giving him notes on what he should be working on to improve his game to improve his chances of contributing early in his career at Iowa State.

“When I’m talking to Coach TJ, Coach (Nate) Schmidt, and the new assistant coaches, they’re just telling me what they think I need to work on and stuff like that,” Harrington said. “I need keep up my shot, stuff like that and they’re telling me what I need to do to be ready to play right away when I get to Iowa State. Also, the defensive habits, always talking, and stuff like that.”

Iowa State commit Josiah Harrington scored 27 points tonight! @JosiahHarr_24 pic.twitter.com/20zyKOhxme
— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) March 4, 2026

Strengthening his connection with the Cyclones’ coaching staff will only help his long-term outlook. He has been committed to Iowa State for so long, originally selecting them back in Sept. 2024; he has technically been a part of the program longer than some of the players currently on the team.

That will give him a unique edge compared to other players in the Class of 2027; he will be as prepared as any incoming freshman for what lies ahead at the start of their collegiate career.

It has also enabled him to play this spring and summer freely, knowing that he doesn’t have the pressure of needing to perform in front of college coaches while trying to secure a scholarship offer.

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