Iowa State Has To Find Capable Joshua Jefferson Replacement

The Iowa Stat Cyclones have to replace two star players in their men’s basketball lineup this season: forwards Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson.

Replicating their level of production is going to be virtually impossible for a single player to do. Momcilovic had arguably the best 3-point shooting season in men’s college basketball history, while Jefferson was a do-it-all performer on offense.

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However, in the system and scheme that head coach T.J. Otzelberger is running, Momcilovic is a lot easier to replace than Jefferson. He had more to his game than just shooting 3-pointers, showcasing a nice array of post and mid-range moves, but his main goal was spacing the floor.

The Cyclones have multiple players capable of shooting from long range, with Jamarion Batemon and Ryan Prather Jr. at the top of the list. However, figuring out who can do what Jefferson did will be the No. 1 priority for Otzelberger.

Iowa State needs someone to step up in shot creation department

UIC’s Elijah Crawford, left, and Mekhi Lowery, right, try to steal the ball from Bradley’s Jaquan Johnson in the first half of their college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 at Carver Arena. The Braves fell to the Flames 85-70. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It isn’t as simple as saying Tre Singleton is presumably taking his spot in the starting lineup, so he will be solely responsible for replicating what Jefferson did. In due time, he could develop into that kind of player, given the similarities in their build and skill sets.

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But what it means to replace Jefferson is to find players who can create shots offensively. The first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft was their offensive hub; everyone played off him with his unique playmaking ability.

It will be interesting to see if the ball is put into the hands of big men Blake Buchanan and Dominykas Pleta more often to give opponents that look of running sets through frontcourt players. Singleton is going to receive plenty of…

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Publish date : 2026-10-30 01:00:00

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