Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger gets new contract
Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger talks to his players during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas in the semifinal round of the Big 12 Conference tournament Friday, March 10, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger got a contract extension on Monday. (Associated Press/Charlie Riedel)
AMES — He’s helmed the biggest turnaround in Iowa State men’s basketball history. He’s inked the program’s highest-rated recruiting class and added two transfer guards in the past two days.
So it’s abundantly clear Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger has accomplished plenty in his first two seasons — and now he’ll have at least six more seasons to potentially add to his list of plaudits.
ISU director of athletics Jamie Pollard announced Monday that Otzelberger has received a contract extension through June 30 of 2029. Otzelberger’s total compensation will increase to $2.5 million on July 1, then climb by $500,000 more in each of the following two years before rising by $100,000 annually in subsequent contract years.
“In just two years, Coach Otzelberger and his staff have re-imagined the Cyclone program while instilling a culture which has led to great success in the classroom, on the court and in recruiting,” Pollard said in a news release.
“The complete transformation of our program in such a short time is a testament to Coach Otzelberger’s leadership and vision for Cyclone Basketball, and he is most deserving of this extension and a compensation increase.”
Otzelberger rebuilt ISU’s roster around a commitment to stern and disruptive defense in his first season and the Cyclones reached the Sweet 16 one year after going 2-22 to end the Steve Prohm era. ISU earned a No. 5 seed last month in the NCAA tournament and will welcome a top-10 recruiting class to campus this summer.
In the past two days, Otzelberger’s Cyclones also addressed backcourt needs by gaining commitments from UNLV transfer Keshon Gilbert and Wofford transfer Jackson Paveletzke.
“When we hired T.J., he agreed to take a lower salary on the front end to help us manage the buyout costs associated with the transition with the understanding that we would increase his salary over the first few years of his contract to be more in line with his Big 12 peers,” Pollard said.
“This extension allows Iowa State to reward T.J. for the outstanding job he has done first and foremost, while also keeping our promise to him when he was hired.
“The future of Cyclone Basketball is bright, and I believe even greater success is on the horizon for our program under Coach Otzelberger’s direction.”
Outgoing one-year ISU transfer guard Jaren Holmes agrees.
“He makes us feel like he truly cares — and he does,” Holmes said late in the season. “You have a relationship and I know from just being here that I’ll have him in my corner for the rest of my life. That’s truly special.”
Jackson Paveletzke transfers to Iowa State
For the second time in as many days, Iowa State has plucked a productive transfer guard from the portal.
Jackson Paveletzke — who played one season at Wofford — announced on social media Monday that he intends to join T.J. Otzelberger’s program next season.
The sophomore-to-be from Kimberly, Wis. averaged 15.1 points and 3.7 assists in his one season as a Terrier. He also shot 49.3 percent overall and 39.3 percent from 3-point range while scoring in double figures in each of his last 13 games.
Paveletzke joins former UNLV guard Keshon Gilbert in joining the Cyclones this week. Iowa State returns experience at point guard in Tamin Lipsey, who ranked among the top-five in the Big 12 last season in assists and steals.