Cody Goodwin

cgoodwin2@dmreg.com

Ahead of his visit to Ames last month, Lindell Wigginton spoke glowingly about the Iowa State fan base. He couldn’t wait to see their passion, to witness their loyalty firsthand and to understand why some of the men’s basketball program’s unlikely victories came with the help of some "magic."

During his trip to Iowa State, on Sept. 23, Wigginton saw it all. He walked the tailgate lots on Saturday and took pictures with fans ahead of the Cyclones’ demolition of San Jose State. He met with coach Steve Prohm and toured the facilities. He hung out with Naz Mitrou-Long and Monte Morris.

All of it combined for a memorable experience, and it was enough for Wigginton to envision himself in a Cardinal and Gold uniform over the next four years.

Wigginton, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound point guard from the prestigious Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., gave his verbal commitment to Iowa State on Friday, per numerous reports. He is now the third member of the Cyclones’ 2017 recruiting class, joining Terrence Lewis and Darius McNeill, and is the highest-rated high school recruit that Prohm has secured at Iowa State.

A native of Nova Scotia, Canada, Wigginton is a four-star prospect by 247Sports and a consensus top-50 recruit nationally. He is also Iowa State's top-rated commit in the recruiting rankings era. He chose the Cyclones over Oregon and Arizona State.

His addition bumped the Cyclones’ 2017 recruiting class from 48th nationally to 15th in the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings. He’s also the second guard of the class, along with McNeill — Lewis is a perimeter-oriented forward — adding some depth and versatility to the position.

“At this point, with coaches, it’s all about size, athleticism and versatility,” said Brian Snow, a recruiting analyst for Scout.com. “We’re kind of in an age of position-less basketball, so the more talented, athletic pieces you can get who can guard multiple positions and play multiple positions, the better.

“Just having guys that can do multiple things — then you find a way to make it work.”

In Wigginton, the Cyclones are getting an efficient scorer with impressive ball-handling skills. While playing for Stackhouse Elite last spring and summer, he averaged 15.2 points, 3.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game.

Having played at Oak Hill gives Wigginton top-level experience. The Warriors won 92 games and a prep national championship over the last two years, during which Wigginton steadily scaled the ranks from newbie to starter to leader and key contributor.

“Obviously, he’s at a very good prep school, so he’s getting coached and is used to high-level competition,” Snow said. “So he shouldn’t have as big of an adjustment as it might be for some kids. He should transition (to the college level) just fine.

“He’ll have to get stronger, for sure. Then playing defense the way college coaches want. It’s not that he can’t defend; it’s just that kind of thing can always be a growth area for kids. He should transition just fine.”

Prior to his trip to campus, Wigginton also spoke highly of coach Prohm and his ability to develop point guards and help them get to the next level. While at Murray State, Prohm helped Isaiah Canaan and Cameron Payne both reach the NBA.

Canaan was an All-American as a senior under Prohm, during which he averaged 21.8 points, 4.3 assists and 1.5 boards per game. Payne was selected in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2015 after averaging 20.2 points, 6 assists and 1.9 rebounds as a sophomore.

Morris, yet another talented point guard with the NBA in his sights, was tabbed as a preseason All-American for the upcoming season. Wigginton said he couldn’t wait to pick Morris’s brain during his visit and loved the trust Prohm has in his point guards.

“I like it,” Wigginton told the Register last month. “I like coach Prohm. He knows how to get his guards to the next level. He lets his guards play, and he makes them feel confident and comfortable with whatever they’re doing. I like that he does that.”

Cody Goodwin covers high school sports and college basketball recruiting for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at (515) 783-4458, email him at cgoodwin2@dmreg.com, or send him a Tweet at @codygoodwin.