Five-Star Biliew commits to Iowa State

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Iowa State men’s basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger walks onto the floor before the Cyclones’ 67-50 win over the University of Missouri on Jan. 29.

Anthony Hanson

Waukee senior power forward Omaha Biliew announced his commitment to Iowa State live on ESPN Tuesday night. 

The five-star 2023 graduate chose the Cyclones over offers from Kansas, Iowa, Michigan and eight other Division I schools. Biliew is rated top-10 nationally in his class by several recruiting databases.

At halftime of the 17U AAU contest airing on ESPN, Biliew unzipped his shirt to reveal Cyclone colors and announced his commitment on air.

Biliew, who stands at 6 feet, 7 inches, becomes the highest-rated recruit in the history of Iowa State basketball.

Biliew is the third player to join head coach T.J. Otzelberger’s 2023 class. The Waukee star is joined by four-star recruits Milan Momcilovic from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and Jelani Hamilton from Austell, Georgia. 

The recruiting class is currently ranked third nationally behind Duke and Kentucky on 247 Sports before Otzelberger’s second season as head coach. 

Biliew will play his final season of high school basketball at Waukee High School in 2022-23. 

After his sophomore season in 2020-21, Biliew transferred away from Waukee. After averaging 10.9 points per game that year, Biliew spent one year at Link Academy, a prep school in Branson, Missouri. 

In June 2022, Biliew announced he would be returning to Waukee to play his senior season. 

Biliew’s commitment is the third for Otzelberger and staff this month. The four-star Momcilovic announced his commitment on Twitter on July 16. Hamilton, another four-star prospect, committed to the Cyclones on July 1. 

Otzelberger was known as a talented recruiter on the Iowa State staff during his stints as assistant coach from 2006-2010 and 2015-2016. 

After becoming head coach in March of 2021, Otzelberger announced regaining the commitment of then sought-after recruit Tyrese Hunter as a priority in his introductory press conference.