One of the first things Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said when he took over at his alma mater was that point guard Diante Garrett would play a major role in the offense.
Given that Garrett had never averaged 10 points a game or proved he could consistently knock down jumpers, it seemed like a shaky plan.
Garrett, however, has thrived playing under ''The Mayor.''
The senior from Milwaukee has flourished in Hoiberg's uptempo system, averaging career highs of 17.5 points and 6.5 assists while leading the way for an offense that's second in the Big 12 at 84.3 points per game.
Garrett has always been able to attack the rim, but he has a much-improved jump shot this season. He's also a much more self-assured player under Hoiberg, whose belief in Garrett has clearly paid off so far.
''When you're out there playing with confidence, it's fun. You play with a swagger, and Diante definitely has that right now,'' Hoiberg said.
Garrett's surprising turnaround is a major reason the Cyclones, who were picked last in the Big 12's preseason coaches poll, are 6-0 heading into Wednesday's game at Northern Iowa (2-2).
Garrett had always been a pass-first point guard in former coach Greg McDermott's more methodical system, and for years that made sense. The Cyclones were stacked in the frontcourt during Garrett's first three seasons, with stars like Wesley Johnson, Craig Brackins and Marquis Gilstrap handling much of the scoring burden.
But Garrett's shooting percentage took a leap forward in 2009-10, as he hit 35.2 percent of his 3s after making a dreadful 22 percent in each of his first two seasons.
With Brackins, Gilstrap and seemingly everyone else gone from last year's 14-18 squad, Hoiberg made a point of giving Garrett freedom to run the Cyclones without having to constantly look over his shoulder.
At the time, it seemed as much of a necessity as anything else. But Garrett has exceeded nearly everyone's expectations, shooting a career-best 44 percent from the floor with an assist-to-turnover ratio of well over 2-to-1.
''We're getting up and down the court. A lot of guys are making plays, and I'm one of the guys that can make some plays. I'm just having fun out there, and (Hoiberg) keeps the confidence in us,'' Garrett said.
Garrett had 19 points and seven assists in a 78-64 win over Northern Arizona in the opener, and it was clear from the outset by his constant smiles, crossover dribbles and no-look passes that he was in his element playing for Hoiberg.
In a stunningly easy 91-43 win over rival Drake, Garrett had 14 points and 10 assists. He broke through with 28 points - 15 from 3-point range - while playing all 40 minutes in a 91-88 win over McDermott's Creighton team on Nov. 21.
Garrett is sixth in the Big 12 in scoring and second in assists.
''He's playing with so much confidence right now. He knows that it's his team and he can do whatever he wants at any given time, and his jump shot has improved drastically,'' Iowa State forward Jamie Vanderbeken said.
Though it's still far too soon to declare the Cyclones a contender in the Big 12, almost no one believed they'd be heading to Cedar Falls undefeated.
Iowa State has done it by spreading the ball around, with five players averaging at least 12 points a game. That's largely Garrett's doing, too, as he's proven adept at putting his teammates in position to score while attacking the basket.
That's exactly what Hoiberg told Garrett he wanted to see during their first conversation as coach and player last spring.
''I said, 'Diante, you're going to be a huge part of this thing. It's your team. I want you to go out and be the playmaker. I want you to go out and make plays and make everybody better,''' Hoiberg said.
