Iowa State Big Man Visits

by Whitey Reid on March 27th, 2010

Virginia coach Tony Bennett hasn’t wasted any time in trying to use some of his newfound roster space.

The Daily Progress has learned that former Iowa State basketball big man Justin Hamilton is in Charlottesville taking an official visit.

Hamilton, who was on hand at Saturday’s Virginia-Johns Hopkins lacrosse game with the UVa coaching staff, averaged 6.4 points and 5. 4 rebounds for Iowa State this past season as a sophomore.

Hamilton, a Utah native, is listed at 6-foot-11, 255 pounds and would give Bennett the big body that it lost when John Brandenburg transferred to Colgate last summer.

Hamilton, reportedly, is also considering LSU and UCLA. He would have to sit out the 2010-11 season (per NCAA transfer rules), and then have two years of eligibility remaining.

Iowa State, which went 15-17 and 4-12 in the Big 12, seems to be in disarray.

Leading scorer Craig Brackins recently announced he will bypass his senior season and make himself eligible for the 2010 NBA draft.

In addition, guard Dominique Buckley announced that he is transferring.

Hamilton started 32 games this past season, but said he wanted to play closer to home—a somewhat curious statement, given the schools he is considering.

“I appreciate everything the Cyclone Nation has done for me,” Hamilton told Cyclones.com. “The fan base, my teammates and the support of the community at ISU has been incredible, but I just feel I need to be at a school closer to home where my family will have a better opportunity to watch me play.

“I appreciate everything Coach [Greg] McDermott and the coaching staff has done for me. They have helped me improve as a player and person.”

Post a comment