Staff Directory

Diante Garrett

Title:
Director of Player Development
Email:
Phone:
515-294-3662

Diante Garrett is in his third season on staff for the Cyclones. Garrett spent his first two seasons as an assistant coach before moving to the Director of Player Development role for the 2026-27 season.

In 2025-26, Iowa State went 29-8 overall and 12-6 in the Big 12, finishing the year ranked No. 8 in the country, tied for the highest final ranking in program history. ISU has been ranked for 52-straight weeks, the fourth-longest streak in the nation and the second-longest streak in school history. The 29 wins are tied for the second-most in program history. The Cyclones started the year 16-0, the best start and longest winning streak in program history.

Joshua Jefferson became the fifth consensus All-American in program history, while also being one of five finalist for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. Drafted with the 28^th pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, Jefferson was a first round pick. Jefferson earned All-Big 12 First Team honors, while Tamin Lipsey and Milan Momcilovic were named to the All-Big 12 Second Team. All three were also named to the NABC All-Central District First Team. Momcilovic set the Iowa State single-season record for 3-pointers (136) and 3-point percentage (.487) was named a Top 5 finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. Lipsey was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team for the third time. Off the court, Lipsey was named to the Allstate NACDA Winter Good Works Team, while he was named the CSC Men’s Basketball Academic All-American of the Year after earning CSC Academic All-American honors for the third-straight year.

The 2024-25 Cyclones finished the year 25-10 overall and 13-7 in the Big 12 with an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Iowa State climbed to as high as No. 2 in the country in the AP Poll, the highest ranking in program history. ISU finished the season ranked No. 17 in the AP Top 25, the 12th time in program history the Cyclones have been ranked in the final poll. Iowa State ended the season in the AP Top 25 for the 32nd-straight week, the seventh-longest streak in the country. The Cyclones ended the season with four Top 25 victories, tied for the 10th-most in program history. Curtis Jones was named an AP All-American, while earning Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year and All-Big 12 First Team honors. Joshua Jefferson was named All-Big 12 Second Team and to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert were named to the All-Big 12 Third Team, while Lipsey was also selected to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team.

Garrett played for the Cyclones from 2007-11, starting 99 of the 128 games he appeared in. He averaged 10.7 points, 4.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game over the course of his career. He earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors as a senior in 2011, while also being named to the USBWA All-District VI Team. In his final campaign in Ames, Garrett went for 17.3 points, 6.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He was one of two players in the country to average over 17 points and six assists per game. He led the Big 12 in assists, becoming the first Cyclone since Jacy Holloway in 1996-97 to lead the league in assists.

Following his time in Ames, he spent 12 years playing professionally before announcing his retirement in 2025. He played in Croatia and France from 2011-12 before joining the Phoenix Suns for the 2012-13 season. He appeared in 19 games for the Suns, while also sharing time in the NBA G League with the Bakersfield Jam. He spent the 2013-14 season with the Utah Jazz, appearing in 71 games. The Milwaukee native averaged 3.5 points, 1.7 assists and 1.4 rebounds for the Jazz, while shooting 37.5 percent from downtown. He played the 2014-15 season with the Iowa Energy and parts of 2015 with Grand Rapids Drive in the NBA G League before spending the final nine years of his career overseas. Garrett was named a G League All-Star in 2014-15.

He won multiple league championships during his career, including Croatian League Champion (2011), Italian Cup Champion (2018) and Greek Super Cup Champion (2020). He also was named All-Japanese League Second Team in 2017, while also being a Japanese League All-Star.

Garrett, and his wife, Latonya, reside in Ames with their son, Dayton, and daughter, Dia.