It's a top 20 class (so far) for Iowa State
Iowa State signed three 2017 basketball recruiting prospects on Wednesday as the hoops early signing period got underway.
Guards Lindell Wigginton and Darius McNeill and wing Terrence Lewis made it official by signing letters-of-intent with ISU. The class is currently ranked No. 18 in the nation by Rivals.com with Wigginton and Lewis both rated as four-star prospects and McNeill rated as a three-star prospect.
Wigginton is No. 40 on the Rivals150 list of top basketball prospects for next year and Lewis checks in at No. 116.
“My staff did a great job this fall of knowing what we needed and where we needed to get better,” Iowa State head coach Steve Prohm said. “I think that we got a group of guys that love to be in the gym and are dedicated to improving. They can all score the ball, are athletic and come from good families. We are excited to get them on campus."
Is this the best recruiting class “ever” or “all-time” for Iowa State basketball? There’s no way to say that as college basketball team recruiting rankings are relatively new. Johnny Orr and Tim Floyd assembled some very good recruiting classes during their tenures at ISU and how do you compare what has happened so far in 2017 with the recruiting efforts that brought the likes of Gary Thompson, Bill Cain and Don Smith to Iowa State - just to name a few.
If “ever” and “all-time” only goes back to the early 2000s, then yes, it’s the best Cyclone recruiting class on record. And it isn’t necessarily complete. Iowa State is projected to still have three available scholarships for next season after signing the talented trio on Wednesday.
The top remaining 2017 prospect that Iowa State is heavily involved with at this time is Isaiah Stokes. The 6-foot-8, 250-pounder from the sports high school called IMG Academy in Florida could make his commitment decision yet this month, or he might wait until the spring period to commit and sign with the school of his choice. ISU is considered one of the frontrunners for Stokes.
It’s also likely the Cyclones will be on the transfer market at season’s end as they look to bring in more talent via that expanding avenue of non-traditional recruiting.
Iowa State’s Early 2017 Signings
Lindell Wigginton, Guard, Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy
Wigginton, who hails from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, hopes to continue ISU’s legacy of major contributors from Canada that includes current guard Naz Mitrou-Long and former players such as Melvin Ejim and Jamie Vanderbeken. Oak Hill is an elite prep school program and landing a prospect from there helps establish Iowa State as a burgeoning big-time college program.
Prohm on Wigginton: “Lindell was a huge get for us. I love him and his family. He plays at Oak Hill, where he’s played against great competition the last couple years. It makes for an easier transition from high school to college. He’s athletic, fast with the ball, can really score, but also makes others better.”
Terrence Lewis, Forward, Milwaukee (Wisc.) Riverside
Lewis is the only Midwest recruit in the Cyclones’ 2017 class to date and will keep ISU’s pipeline to Wisconsin open into the foreseeable future. He scored over 22 points a game as a high school junior and can score the basketball in a variety of ways. But what he’ll add most to the Iowa State attack is ability to create and score off the bounce, complimented by a pure shooting stroke.
Prohm on Lewis: “In the Big 12, I think you need size on that wing position. After coaching (Abdel) Nader in my first year, Terrence is more in that mold. A big wing. Another guy with a great, great family and a great work ethic. He loves to work on his game, but really the biggest skill that he has is that he can really shoot the basketball. He’s another guy for us that can get out in transition, kick the ball ahead and make great plays with his athleticism attacking the basket.”
Darius McNeill, Guard, Houston (Tex.) Westfield
McNeill aspires to play the point for Iowa State, but he has combo guard skills and could end up at either the 1 or 2 for the Cyclones – or he might play both. McNeill is a product of Texas’ rapidly improving high school basketball market and he could open the door to more Houston-area high schools by choosing I-State.
Prohm on McNeill: “Darius was another huge pull for us. We’re really excited to get him in. He can play the one or the two and is an unbelievable athlete. We bring in athleticism on the perimeter, which we needed, but also scoring. I think Lindell and Darius can be a very good backcourt for the future of Big 12 basketball here at Iowa State. Darius is really long and lanky. He’s going to get bigger and stronger as he gets here, but he can get his own shot. He’ll put pressure on the rim and is really good in transition in the open floor. Again, another guy who loves to be in the gym.”
