Iowa State holds off Marquette to land four-star Jamarion Batemon
Iowa State landed its second commitment of the 2025 cycle on Monday, when four-star guard Jamarion Batemon announced his intention to sign with the Cyclones. Batemon, who plays his high school ball at the Milwaukee Academy Of Science, chose ISU over fellow finalists Marquette, Clemson and West Virginia. Below, Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy explores what Iowa State is getting in Batemon as well as what this recruiting victory says about the big picture of Cyclone hoops.
WHAT IOWA STATE IS GETTING
Batemon jumped up more than 30 spots and added a fourth star in the last rankings refresh, and the bump was well deserved. The Milwaukee-based guard has shown himself to be a prolific volume scorer in the last year and has also made strides on the defensive end where his motor and long arms allow him to play even bigger than his 6-foot-3 frame and absolutely terrorize passing lanes on the perimeter. Bateman has been hot from beyond the arc in our last couple viewings of him and has also flashed the ability to get downhill in a hurry and finish through traffic at the basket. Batemon, who plays grassroots with Power 5 on the addias 3SSB Circuit, will take the next step as he grows as a facilitator and cuts down on ill-advised shots. His scoring prowess is clear, however, as there aren;t many places on the floor from which he isn't a threat to put the ball through the hoop. Batemon’s rankings rise may not be finished, as his trajectory from a development standpoint is encouraging to say the least.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE CYCLONES
Iowa State's 2025 class has its second member, as Batemon joins three-star point guard Macari Moore on the Cyclone’s commitment list. Landing Batemon speaks to head coach T.J. Otzelberger’s growing reputation as a talent evaluator, as the Cyclones prioritized Batemon well before his stock-rising summer, having offered him back in June of 2023. ISU represented Batemon;s first high-major offer. Getting in early may have been the key to landing the four-star’s pledge, as Batemon has been on record saying he planned to choose the school that prioritized him and put him in the best situation to succeed long-term. Otzelberger and his staff certainly check that box.