The Iowa State basketball program received a much needed boost after standout forward Craig Brackins announced he will return for his junior season. Brackins averaged better than 20 points and more than nine rebounds this past season and was widely considered as a likely first round pick if he opted for the NBA draft.
Brackins says it has been a hard situation and he has thought a lot about it. Brackins thanked the coaching staff, teammates and family for helping him make the decision.
Brackins feels he has something to accomplish at ISU before he enters the draft. "I had a lot of time to think about this and felt there was something empty inside. Something was missing," Brackins said. "I feel like I have not accomplished everything I wanted to achieve at Iowa State. It was a tough decision, but I am excited about returning and equally determined to make sure we are successful next season."
Brackins had been weighing his options since the end of this past season, and says he thought about it every day. He says the people he talked to told him it would be his decision.
Iowa State coach Greg McDermott, says it’s a huge decision and he is impressed with the way Brackins has navigated his way through the information.
It is a boost for a program that has endured three consecutive losing seasons with McDermott as coach. McDermott says the pieces are gradually falling together as the team looks to make improvement and Brackins will be a big piece of the puzzle.