Even during an era when there are multiple paths to a professional basketball career, Dominykas Pleta’s is unique.

Pleta is the first true international recruit under head coach T.J. Otzelberger, and the German native is happy to be playing in the NCAA.

“Yeah, so I know college basketball is, I would say, after the NBA, the highest watched basketball league here in the U.S.,” Pleta said. “The goal for everybody is to get [to March Madness] and play for the championship.” 

Germany

Gotha, a city of approximately 45,000 people in central Germany, is where Pleta began his basketball career.

He prepped at Arnoldi Schule Staatliches Gymnasium Gotha, a state-funded secondary school specializing in chess.

A large portion of his development was thanks to the BiG Gotha youth basketball program. The program is known for its youth development on multiple levels, ranging from regional leagues to high-level youth Bundesliga teams.

Dominykas also spent time with MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in the BBL, Germany’s top professional league, and Porsche Ludwigsburg in the ProB South Division, Germany’s third-tier league.

During the 2024-25 season at Porsche Ludwigsburg, Pleta averaged 19.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

Pleta also spent time on the German national team, representing his country on the 2024 FIBA U20 EuroBasket team.

Over seven games, Pleta averaged 9.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.6 minutes. Those statistics made him the team’s second-most efficient player behind guard Jacob Ensminger.

Pleta is looking to achieve something his father, Dainius Pleta, did: play professional basketball.

Iowa State

Pleta said his performance at the FIBA U20 Competition in Poland was solid, making a few college programs interested in the German forward, one of them being Iowa State.

After an introductory Zoom call and an official visit, Pleta signed to play for the Cyclones, making him the first true international recruit since Otzelberger took over the program and the second German to play for Iowa State basketball.

“I really felt welcomed and appreciated from the first second on,” Pleta said. 

With the average age of an NBA draft pick falling between 19 and 20 years old, 21-year-old Pleta is already older than the typical prospect entering the draft, and while he is a freshman, his age and development suggest the label may not fully reflect his readiness.

With his multiple experiences playing in different leagues, the term “freshman” doesn’t fit Pleta.

Pleta’s time on the European professional circuit gave him a competitive advantage, allowing him to gain experience against high-level competition while maintaining NCAA eligibility.

At Iowa State, he has joined fellow freshmen Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon as key aspects of the Cyclone team.

The trio all have different roles that have changed down the roller coaster of a Big 12 season.   

Pleta immediately stepped into the lineup as a role player, coming off the bench. Over the 11 nonconference games he played in, he was on the court from seven to 13 minutes.

The step between European and American basketball can be hard. At times, Pleta looked uncomfortable on the court. Dropping passes and turning the ball over became a constant issue until one game turned his season around. 

Pleta has scored 12 points twice this season. The first came against Alcorn State in a record-setting night where the Cyclones scored 132 points.

The second 12-point performance came Jan. 29 against Colorado. This was the game that not only cemented his spot in the rotation but also where he looked like he was having fun.

In the contest against the Buffaloes, Pleta recorded six rebounds (four offensive, two defensive) and shot 100% from the field and the free-throw line.

“You know, with Pleta, to be honest, like, the last couple of days, and even last week or so, we’ve really been after him,” Otzelberger said. “He’s capable of what he did tonight. But he should also know that he’s got a coaching staff that’s coming for him next day in practice, ’cause it needs to look exactly like that.”

Otzelberger also gave credit to his work with assistant coach Kyle Green.

Green works with the forwards on their individual development, along with recruiting the Midwest, focusing on Iowa and Minnesota. Post-practice workouts are where this extra work is being put in by Pleta and other Cyclones. 

Green is a former associate head coach at Northern Iowa, where he coached his son and now NBA guard AJ Green, who is currently in his third season as a Milwaukee Buck.

The work with Green wasn’t an expectation but a choice. Pleta earned his opportunities by his work on the practice court, not just in practice, but in extra workouts.

“[Pleta] has really dedicated himself to improving through film and extra workouts after practice,” Green said. “We have been very intentional about focusing on his ability to make multiple efforts on every possession on both ends of the court.”