NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
Ben McCollum has won everywhere he has coached. First, it was at Division II Northwest Missouri State where he won four National Championships, and then at Drake, where he led the Bulldogs to 31 wins and the second round of the NCAA Tournament in his only season at the helm.
However, despite his successful track record, few expected the first-year Iowa coach to lead the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight in his first season. But that’s exactly what he did, and top recruits are taking notice.
And that includes 2026 Iowa Mr. Basketball Jaidyn Coon. He signed with Iowa on Wednesday and ultimately chose the Hawkeyes over Big Ten rivals Illinois and Nebraska.
Advertisement
What Jaidyn Coon Signing Means for Iowa Basketball’s Future
What does Coon’s signing mean for Iowa both long term and short term?
In today’s college athletics landscape, it’s almost impossible to predict any player’s long-term future, regardless of the sport. More than 1,000 Division 1 men’s basketball players entered the portal the very first day it opened, and it wouldn’t surprise me if that number exceeds 2,000 before the transfer portal closes on April 21st.
So, predicting any college athlete’s long-term future is like me or you picking the winning lottery numbers. It’s just too hard to do.
Advertisement
As for how Coon impacts Iowa going forward, that’s much easier to answer.
And it’s pretty significant. The four-star recruit decommitted from Creighton back in late March, and with this signing, it’s a momentum move. It shows faith in the Iowa program over the next few years.
Iowa lost Tavion Banks and Bennett Stirtz to the NBA Draft, and Alvaro Folgueiras entered the transfer portal last week, which means the Hawkeyes need to replace two starters and a key bench player.
And with Coon’s ability to play both shooting guard and small forward, his chances of replacing Banks or Folgueiras are pretty high, regardless of who the Hawkeyes sign via the portal.
Jaidyn Coon’s background
The four-star recruit is the 116th-ranked…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/2026-iowa-mr-basketball-jaidyn-170938784.html
Author :
Publish date : 2026-04-16 17:09:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
