Playing for head coach Chuck Albright, Sykes averaged 19.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists throughout his senior year.

Soon after he graduated from Denby, Sykes played for the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team known as the Michigan Hurricanes, under coach Will Smith.

[3] Sykes chose to attend the University of Central Florida after also considering the schools: Arkansas, Memphis, Michigan, and Tennessee.

On February 9, 2013, against East Carolina, Sykes became the NCAA Division I's second player to record multiple triple-doubles in a single season.

After an exceptionally successful junior year in college basketball, Isaiah Sykes was named to the American Athletic Conference All-League Preseason Second Team.