Iowa State to Retire Melvin Ejim's No. 3 Jersey
Ejim's jersey will be raised during halftime of the Cyclones' Feb. 27 game against TCU at Hilton Coliseum.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Basketball
Iowa State Athletics announced that Melvin Ejim's No. 3 jersey will be retired on Saturday, Feb. 27 at halftime of the Cyclones' home game against TCU in Ames. The ceremony will make Ejim the seventh men's basketball player whose jersey the program has retired.
Why it matters
The honor recognizes Ejim's four-year career with the Cyclones, including his 2014 Big 12 Player of the Year season and his program-record rebounding totals. It also places him among the select group of Iowa State players recognized with a permanent place in the rafters.
Ejim's 2014 season produced 17.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, a 50.5% field goal percentage and a 55.5% effective field goal percentage, the best mark in the Big 12 that year. He holds 677 career defensive rebounds and 374 offensive rebounds, both program records.
The players
Melvin Ejim
A former Iowa State forward who was Big 12 Player of the Year in 2014 and later won the Italian league title and Finals MVP with Reyer Venezia Mestre, and currently plays for Forca Lleide in Spain's Liga ACB.
Iowa State Athletics
The athletic department of Iowa State University, which announced the jersey retirement and oversees the Cyclones men's basketball program.
The details
Iowa State will hold the jersey retirement at halftime of its game against TCU. Ejim, who played four years for the Cyclones, was inducted into the Iowa State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.
Timeline
2014: Ejim is named Big 12 Player of the Year.
2017: Ejim is named Finals MVP as Reyer Venezia Mestre wins the Italian league title.
2024: Ejim is inducted into the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame.
Saturday, Feb. 27: Jersey retirement ceremony at halftime against TCU.
Season Trajectory
With this ceremony, Ejim becomes the seventh men's basketball player whose jersey Iowa State has retired, placing him in a short list of program honorees. The announcement also points toward a possible future retirement, as Tamin Lipsey is trending toward meeting the criteria for the same honor.
Fans attending the Feb. 27 TCU game at Hilton Coliseum will see the jersey raised during halftime. The ceremony is a fixed event on the Cyclones' home schedule, so ticket holders for that game will be present for it.
The takeaway
Retired jerseys mark a program's most significant players, and Ejim's record in offensive and defensive rebounding makes his honor a lasting part of Iowa State's history.
What happens next
Iowa State will retire Melvin Ejim's No. 3 jersey at halftime of its Feb. 27 game against TCU.
Further reading
Explore more Basketball coverage for context on Iowa State's program and its honorees.
