Omaha Biliew, a former five-star recruit forward, is set to venture into the transfer portal after completing one season with Iowa State, as reported by The Athletic’s Tobias Bass.
Ranked as the 13th recruit in the 2023 basketball class by 247Sports, Biliew contributed to Iowa State in 20 appearances off the bench during his freshman season, maintaining an average of 2.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in less than eight minutes per game.
Joining him in the transfer portal are fellow Iowa State reserve players Kayden Fish, Jackson Paveletzke, and Jelani Hamilton, as per Randy Peterson of the Des Moines Register.
Standing at 6-foot-8, Biliew marked a significant commitment for Iowa State, being the first five-star prospect to commit to the program since at least 2007, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi. Despite offers from various other institutions and the G-League Ignite, Biliew’s choice to join Iowa State was influenced by his desire to play in his home state, as revealed to Borzello and Biancardi.
Tucker DeVries finds five-star sophomore Omaha Biliew for the big slam. Waukee holds an 11-point lead with 37 seconds to go. pic.twitter.com/heY3COkCcx
— Sean Bock (@SBock247) March 13, 2021
Prior to his stint at Iowa State, Biliew showcased his talent at Waukee High School in Waukee, Iowa. His impressive performances there, including helping his team clinch the state championship during his sophomore year, garnered considerable attention.
Despite his high school success, Biliew’s transition to collegiate basketball didn’t yield the same results. While he boasted impressive stats of over 22 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game in his final high school season, his performance at Iowa State saw a dip.
Following a promising start where he averaged 5.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in his initial five games with the Cyclones, Biliew’s playing time dwindled significantly. He only exceeded 10 minutes of play in a game twice throughout the season, with his standout performance being on November 19, where he notched 14 points and three rebounds in a dominant victory over Grambling.
The recent departure of Tucker DeVries, Biliew’s former teammate from Waukee, who transferred from Drake to West Virginia, raises speculation about Biliew’s next move. Given their shared high school background, there is keen interest in whether Biliew will follow DeVries to Morgantown.
