I’m not of the impression Iowa State’s roster is complete yet, with the transfer portal very much open, but arguably the most important thing has been achieved. Tyrese Hunter has affirmed his commitment to Iowa State. T.J. Otzelberger has a top-50 recruit coming in as a freshman.
Hunter is not supposed to be an All-American. Let’s be clear about that. He’s not Cade Cunningham. He’s also an uncertain quantity, like virtually all college freshmen are on the basketball court. He’s supposed to be good—one of the best recruits Iowa State’s ever gotten (which is different from being one of the best players Iowa State’s ever had)—but he doesn’t immediately make Iowa State a contender for a tournament bid.
That said, this is great news for the Cyclones, and very encouraging regarding Otzelberger’s ability to recruit, which was something of a calling card, especially in Hunter’s Wisconsin. Hunter is going to be a big part of this winter’s team, and he’s not a great one-and-done candidate, which lays a bit of a foundation for the next two or three years, if things go as well as they can for ISU and for Hunter.
Iowa State has a long way to go to be competitive next year or in two years. But for today, it’s a good Monday to be a Cyclones fan.
