Iowa State Basketball Commit Making Most of Nike EYBL After Injury

An Iowa State Cyclones commit has looked great on the Nike EYBL circuit after being injured last year.

Mar 23, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Iowa State Cyclones mascot performs during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against the Mississippi Rebels at Fiserv Forum. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones have done a wonderful job on the recruiting trail in recent years, creating an impressive pipeline of talent for head coach T.J. Otzelberger and his staff to develop.

Unfortunately, injuries have hampered some of the youngsters. This past season, Xzavion Mitchell dealt with injuries that kept him off the court. Class of 2026 guard Yusef Gray Jr.’s outlook for the 2026-27 campaign is clouded because of a season-ending injury he suffered during his senior year.

Josiah Harrington, a commit in the Class of 2027, also suffered an injury that kept him sidelined for the duration of the AAU season last year. That has led to some spirited play from him this year, looking to make one last impression during the spring and summer circuit.

He has been playing with the St. Louis-based Brad Beal Elite team during the Nike EYBL and has been playing at a high level.

Josiah Harrington playing well in Nike EYBL

May 24, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; A Nike swoosh logo at Nike by Eugene. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“It’s been great,” Harrington said, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required). “Obviously, I didn’t get to play last year for 16U, and I’ve just been taking every game and every opportunity seriously. I’ve been grateful for it. It’s been good to get back out here in the EYBL. It’s really different from high school, more talented players and everything, so it’s good to play against the best.”

Across three sessions thus far, Harrington is averaging 10.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, according to Seals. He has struggled a bit with his efficiency, making 40% of his shot attempts and only 27% of his 3-pointers.

After playing with MoKan earlier in his high school career, the North Scott product made a switch to Brad Beal Elite. Here he is facing a new challenge, playing alongside ball-dominant guards in Jimmy McKinney and Devin Cleveland.

It is enabling him to round out his skill set in a different role, which will only help when he begins his career with the Cyclones.

NEW: Iowa State commit Josiah Harrington is making one final push on the Nike EYBL circuit after missing all of last summer due to injury👀

The 4-star wing is putting up solid numbers and strengthening ties with the Cyclones coaching staff.

Intel: https://t.co/CMb3cEjJxi pic.twitter.com/pusM0P00EY

— Bill Seals (@williamseals) May 25, 2026

“Brad Beal has been showing a lot of belief in me and been recruiting me for like two years now,” the North Scott standout said. “They’ve wanted me and have a lot of belief in me. He’s been calling me, and we’ve had Zoom calls, just telling me what he thinks about my game and stuff. He’s showed a great belief in me, so I knew it was the place to be. They have my back and everything. I can play freely and not have to worry about anything.”

Part of that freedom on the court with the Brad Beal Elite squad stems from already being committed as well. Harrington could take a risk, such as changing teams for his last session after dealing with an injury last year, because he is already committed to Iowa State.

There is no pressure on him to perform at a high level in front of coaches and scouts because he is secure in his collegiate future. That is a luxury not all of the players participating in the Nike EYBL can benefit from.