Most players don’t average 12 points and eight rebounds in their first year of college basketball.

His second-ever Big 12 game — off the bench — resulted in a 21 point, 16 rebound and three block effort in a narrow loss to Texas. Most players don’t do that, either.

Cameron Lard’s problem isn’t on the basketball court.

“He’s doing good,” said coach Steve Prohm. “He’s doing good right now. But it’s an every day thing — you’ve gotta win the day, then you’ve gotta win the next day.”

After suspensions, an arrest and a trip to a wellness center this summer, Lard is back with the Iowa State men’s basketball team. He can’t afford to make another mistake.

“That stays in the back of my head,” Lard said. “I got one more shot and it probably won’t get any better than this.”

He’s got the talent to play and star in the Big 12, just like he showed last year.

But he can’t help the team if he’s not on the court. And for his own sake outside of basketball, the summer break was much-needed.

“That’s probably the biggest thing that’s stuck out to me,” Lard said. “I keep that in my head almost every day because I know my chances are limited right now. I can’t mess up again.”

He’s not worried about the basketball side of things. Neither is his coach.

That will come in November.

Prohm said Lard will have check-ins with the wellness center team he worked with over the summer. Those check-ins, along with frequent conversations with Prohm, assistant coach William Small and even former NBA player Chris Herren, will be part of Lard’s support system going forward.

Prohm even joked — well, maybe not entirely in a joking manner — that Small probably calls Lard five times a day.

His teammates are looking out for him, too. Nick Weiler-Babb, a redshirt senior and one of the most experienced players on the roster, chose Lard for a roommate this year.

“Cam’s always been the same person,” Weiler-Babb said. “He’s kind of changing his habits.”

Weiler-Babb said he chose to room with Lard because Weiler-Babb has been “through the highs and the lows” already.

Keeping away from the lows will be the goal for Lard.

Lard said he ran with the wrong crowd last year and made the wrong decisions.

“I hold no regrets against them because the decisions I made were on myself,” Lard said.

Herren might be the key to Lard’s growth.

Herren, who played college basketball for Boston College and Fresno State in the 90s, has become a well-known motivational speaker after beating addiction after 14 years.

Lard said he and Herren talk three or four times a week, texting back and forth about battling through adversity.

“I’ve got a really good chance here at chasing my dreams,” Lard said. “I gotta keep that in my head.”