Iowa State Hires Tim Buckley as Assistant Coach

Otzelberger adds veteran coach to Cyclones' staff after recent departures.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 7:55pm

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A cubist-style painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and planes in warm orange, navy, and green tones, conceptually representing the dynamic changes to Iowa State's basketball coaching staff.Iowa State's coaching staff reshuffling aims to maintain the program's recent momentum heading into the new season.San Diego Today

Iowa State men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger has named Tim Buckley as an assistant coach on his staff. The hire comes after ISU assistants JR Blount and Kyle Green recently left the program to take head coaching jobs at San Diego and UNI, respectively.

Why it matters

Otzelberger is looking to build on the Cyclones' recent success, which included an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025. Adding an experienced assistant like Buckley should help provide stability and continuity as Iowa State looks to make another postseason run.

The details

Buckley brings over 25 years of coaching experience to the Cyclones' staff, including previous assistant roles at Indiana, Butler, and Valparaiso. He is known as a strong recruiter and player development coach, which should complement Otzelberger's up-tempo offensive system.

  • Otzelberger named Buckley as an assistant coach on April 6, 2026.
  • JR Blount left Iowa State to become the head coach at the University of San Diego.
  • Kyle Green departed Iowa State to take the head coaching job at the University of Northern Iowa.

The players

T.J. Otzelberger

The head coach of the Iowa State men's basketball team.

Tim Buckley

The new assistant coach hired by Otzelberger, bringing over 25 years of coaching experience.

JR Blount

A former Iowa State assistant coach who left to become the head coach at the University of San Diego.

Kyle Green

A former Iowa State assistant coach who departed to take the head coaching job at the University of Northern Iowa.

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What they’re saying

“Tim is a tremendous addition to our staff. His experience, recruiting ability, and player development skills will be invaluable as we continue to build our program.”

— T.J. Otzelberger, Head Coach, Iowa State Men's Basketball

What’s next

Buckley will join the Iowa State coaching staff immediately and begin recruiting for the upcoming season.

The takeaway

The hire of Tim Buckley as an assistant coach should provide a steady presence on Otzelberger's staff as Iowa State looks to build on its recent NCAA Tournament appearance and compete for a Big 12 title.