Iowa State commit Yusef Gray Jr. on future home: ‘They get after it’
By JAMES MADDEN & SAM LANCE
Class of 2026 three-star point guard Yusef Gray Jr. knew he wanted to be a Cyclone early in his recruitment, and he’s fulfilled his dream, committing to T.J. Otzelberger’s program in January.
Gray, the 6-foot-5 guard from Central High School (WI) and the Team Herro Nike EYBL program, has built a strong relationship with the Iowa State staff and said his tight bonds were huge in his decision.
“Them trusting me and my game, wanting to see me do better and push me to the best I can be [was big],” Gray said. “They never really sugarcoat anything to me about if I’ll play right away. They tell me I’ll have to come in and work for it and that’s something I’ve always been doing my whole life”
Gray credits himself as a do-it-all point guard, with his ability to get downhill as the strongest part of his game. Through eight games with Team Herro this summer, the point guard has averaged 10.2 points and 5.2 rebounds.
From his first time stepping foot on campus, Gray felt at home. He said he was able to fit in with everyone around the program easily.
“Just being with the guys, they made me feel welcome,” Gray said. “I already had a really good bond with the coaches, but it was a football game that I went to on a visit, and it just made me like ‘Wow I actually want to go here.'”
Gray mentioned kids and fans already knew him and were asking for autographs during his visit. That love from the community meant a lot to him.
The Gray family has a long-standing relationship with the Iowa State coaching staff. His father, Yusef Gray Sr. was high school teammates with current Cyclones assistant Diante Garrett. Oddly enough, both his father and Garrett were recruited by TJ Otzelberger in high school. Yusef’s father went on to play collegiate basketball for Iowa Central.
How does Gray characterize Otzelberger as a coach?
“He’s high-energy. He cares a lot about his players, super high-energy. He cares a lot about defense. That’s the number one thing that we take pride in. He wants to know how you’re doing off the court and them being committed to me, him flying out to come see me every week in the beginning of the school year, just coming to talk to me, it shows how much he was dedicated to me and my game. Him being a high-character coach, energy coach, that’s something I need to make it to the NBA and to the next level. Somebody that’s gonna push me.”
Gray knows what he’s getting into with the Cyclones and said “they get after it.” He added of Otzelberger: “He told me he was gonna outwork every coach that was recruiting me. He most definitely did that and just the relationships they build with the people they recruit, it’s unbelievable and how they do stuff.”
Iowa State is the only power five program with three commits in the 2026 class. The staff has built relationships early in player’s recruitments, and it’s paying off in a big way. Last recruiting cycle, Otzelberger had three players committed by early July, and with guard Marcus Zelee joining Gray and four-star Christian Wiggins in early July, Iowa State has done it again.
As for Gray’s fit, he’s looking forward to being utilized as a point/combo guard that can run the offense in Ames.
“We talk about [my role], really just being a two-guard, a point guard, playing defense, getting rebounds, attacking the basket, shooting my jump shot,” Gray said. “Really just playing my game.”
Gray has already started building relationships with current commits, while recruiting younger prospects, including members of the Team Herro program like 2027 four-star small forward Jack Kohen and 2027 top-50 prospect Donovan Davis, who have both unofficially visited Ames.
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