Iowa State men’s basketball coach TJ Otzelberger’s recruiting approach
What do T.J. Otzelberger and the Iowa State men’s basketball program look for in prospective recruits and transfers?
The Iowa State men’s basketball team announced the signings of four players to its 2025 recruiting class on Wednesday.
It is the fourth signing day under head coach T.J. Otzelberger and the second time in four recruiting cycles that Otzelberger has compiled a top-10 recruiting class in the country.
The Cyclones signed Macari Moore, Xzavion Mitchell, Jamarion Batemon and Killyan Toure. The newly-signed quartet is part of a recruiting class that is ranked as the best in school history. Iowa State’s 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 8 nationally by 247 Sports and Rivals, and No. 9 by ESPN. It is the top-ranked class within the Big 12 Conference, according to all three organizations’ recruiting rankings.
Macari Moore
Height: 6-3
Position: Guard
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Mich.
High school: Huron
AAU team: The Family, Nike EYBL
Highlights:
- First commitment of the Iowa State 2025 recruiting class.
- Top 25-ranked guard by 247 Sports and Rivals, and the No. 2 overall prospect in the state of Michigan.
- Led Huron to a 23-5 record as a junior and helped his high school reach the state semifinals. Moore helped Huron capture a district title by hitting the go-ahead basket in overtime in a game where he also scored his 1,000th career point.
Otzelberger on Moore: “Macari gets in the paint, making plays for himself and his teammates. He is a physical, downhill playmaking guard. He takes tremendous pride in being a physical, on-ball defender and he can rebound the basketball well from the guard position. He’ll make an immediate impact on our program with his character and work ethic.”
Xzavion Mitchell
Height: 6-6
Position: Forward
Hometown: Oshkosh, Wisc.
High school: Oshkosh North
AAU team: Team Herro, Nike EYBL
Highlights:
- Consensus four-star recruit by 247 Sports, Rivals and ESPN, ranking No. 55 by Rivals, No. 70 by ESPN and No. 129 by 247 Sports.
- He is ranked the No. 4 overall player in his class from Wisconsin.
- Participated in the NBPA Top 100 Camp. He was also named the Nike EYBL Session II MVP, averaging 28.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game for Team Herro.
Otzelberger on Mitchell: “Xzavion is a versatile, big wing who has the ability to attack off the dribble. He has mismatch ability and can really help facilitate offense. He’s somebody that has been a great rebounder and defensively he has tremendous versatility with an ability to guard all positions on the floor. He’ll make an immediate impact on our program with his toughness and consistency.”
Jamarion Batemon
Height: 6-3
Position: Guard
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisc.
High school: Milwaukee Academy of Science
AAU team: Power 5, Adidas 3SSB Circuit
Highlights:
- Consensus four-star recruit by 247 Sports, Rivals and ESPN, ranking No. 41 by 247 Sports, No. 63 by ESPN and No. 92 by Rivals. He is also the sixth-highest-ranked signee for Iowa State in the modern era.
- He is the top-rated player in Wisconsin per 247 Sports, while also ranking as the No. 5 guard in the country.
- He averaged 22.2 points per game for Power 5 on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit, highlighted by a 7-of-11 3-point shooting performance in a 92-77 win over Compton Magic.
Otzelberger on Batemon: “Jamarion has great long-range ability but is also terrific at attacking the closeout and getting downhill as a playmaker. He’s an elite scoring guard, who has range as soon as he steps on the court. He takes tremendous pride in guarding the basketball and picking guys up full-court. He’ll make an immediate impact on our program with his discipline and daily focus.”
Killyan Toure
Height: 6-3
Position: Guard
Hometown: Pamiers, France
High School: Brewster Academy
Highlights:
- Due to his recent arrival to the United States, Toure is not in any national rankings, but he is listed as a three-star prospect by Rivals.
- Played in the French ProA U-21 League, averaging 10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists for ASVEL Basket Lyon-Villeurbanne.
- He also competed in the 2023 NBA Basketball Without Borders Europe and earned Defensive MVP honors.
Otzelberger on Toure: “Killyan is a dynamic, open-court playmaking guard. He’s somebody who operates best in transition, seeing the play a step ahead. He takes tremendous pride in guarding the basketball and being disruptive. He’s proven to defend at a high level and has the maturity of playing high-level basketball overseas. His work habits and maturity will help him make an immediate impact on our program.”
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
