Iowa basketball is undergoing a remarkable evolution. From major shake-ups in the men’s college ranks to unprecedented fan enthusiasm around women’s hoops, the basketball landscape in the Hawkeye State has never looked quite like this.
Driven by dramatic roster rebuilds, strategic recruiting, and the deepening influence of Caitlin Clark, basketball in Iowa is entering an exciting, transitional phase. Here’s an in-depth look at how the game is changing across the state—and what it could look like in the next three to five years.
Iowa Men’s Basketball: A Rapid Rebuild in Iowa City
It all began with a seismic shift: Fran McCaffrey stepping down after a long and stable tenure at the helm of the Iowa men’s college basketball program.
Whenever a longtime head coach moves on, instability often follows. Players enter the transfer portal, recruits get cold feet, and the foundation of the program starts to wobble. For Iowa, the pressure was on to find a leader who could not only stabilize things quickly but rebuild with vision and urgency.
Enter Ben McCollum
The program didn’t wait long to make a move. Ben McCollum, a coach known for his ability to reshape rosters and foster winning cultures, took the reins and wasted no time getting to work. The results have been refreshingly promising.
Transfer Portal Gold
McCollum has leaned heavily on the transfer portal, and it’s already paying dividends. Iowa’s transfer class is now ranked sixth in the Big Ten and fifteenth nationally—an impressive accomplishment for a team coming off a leadership transition. Some early projections, including odds by FanDuel, suggest the Hawkeyes could outperform expectations this season.
But it’s not just quantity that stands out. The quality of the transfers suggests Iowa could be back to competing at a higher level sooner than expected.
The Drake Pipeline
A big part of McCollum’s early success has come from a unique advantage: his connections to Drake University, where several of his former players have followed him to Iowa City. This familiarity brings not only talent but built-in chemistry, something most first-year coaches can only hope for.
The headliner is Bennett Stirtz, a standout guard who led Drake to multiple titles and an NCAA tournament berth. With nearly 20 points per game and a reputation for leadership, he’ll be expected to make an immediate impact. Alongside him are Cale Combs and Cam Manyawu, who add depth and versatility. Isaia Howard and Tavion Banks round out the group, bringing energy off the bench and experience from high-level mid-major play.
More Than Just Familiar Faces
While the Drake contingent forms the backbone of the new-look roster, McCollum also added players from other major programs. Brendan Hausen, a sharpshooter with stints at Villanova and Kansas State, will stretch defenses with his consistent three-point shooting. And Alvaro Folgueiras, a skilled forward from Robert Morris, brings size, rebounding, and scoring touch to the frontcourt.
With an average player rating that places Iowa among the Big Ten’s stronger rosters, the revamped core has the potential to exceed expectations. Rather than simply filling gaps, McCollum is orchestrating a full-scale transformation—one that’s quickly forging a new team identity defined by urgency and intent.
Iowa State: Building for the Future
While Iowa is focused on immediate restructuring, Iowa State is playing the long game. Under head coach T.J. Otzelberger, the Cyclones are cultivating a program that’s built to last. The recruiting momentum continues to grow, and the 2026 class is already shaping up to be one of the nation’s best.
The Rise of Christian Wiggins
Leading the way is Christian Wiggins, a highly touted guard ranked among the top 70 nationally. Wiggins is a versatile, defensive-minded player who thrives in both high school and elite grassroots competition. His game is still developing, especially on the playmaking front, but his skillset and motor suggest he could become a cornerstone player for the Cyclones.
Iowa State will be relying on him to make an immediate impact and will no doubt leverage his defensive versatility. With the ability to guard multiple positions and shoot from deep, Wiggins fits the modern mold of a do-it-all guard.
A Strong Recruiting Class
Wiggins isn’t coming alone. He joins Yousef Gray Jr. in the 2026 class, helping push Iowa State into the top tier nationally in early class rankings. These types of early commitments send a clear signal: Iowa State is becoming a destination for serious talent.
By building trust and relationships with players and families early in the process, Otzelberger and his staff are positioning the Cyclones as a consistent force on the national recruiting scene.
The Caitlin Clark Effect: A Cultural Phenomenon
Perhaps the most influential figure in Iowa basketball today isn’t a college player or a coach. It’s Caitlin Clark, the generational talent whose transition to the WNBA is creating ripple effects across the sport. Her debut with the Indiana Fever has drawn massive attention—but nowhere more so than back in Iowa.
When the Fever returned to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a WNBA exhibition, it sold out in just 24 minutes. Nearly 15,000 fans packed the arena—not in Iowa black and gold, but in Indiana red—to celebrate Clark’s next chapter. It was a striking visual: fans embracing a new team purely because of their connection to a single player.
More Than Hype
This isn’t just about one player’s popularity. It reflects a broader shift in how women’s basketball is perceived, especially in places like Iowa where support was already growing. The WNBA is tapping into that energy, scheduling exhibition games at college venues and capitalizing on the passionate fanbases of stars like Clark and Angel Reese.
From jersey sales to app subscriptions to traveling fans, the Caitlin Clark effect is pushing the WNBA further into the national spotlight. It’s not a flash in the pan—it’s a sustained movement.
What Comes Next for Iowa Basketball?
The future of Iowa basketball is unfolding along three distinct paths. The Iowa men’s program is undergoing a rapid transformation, powered by a coach who understands both the X’s and O’s and the dynamics of player loyalty. Iowa State, meanwhile, is focused on building for the long haul, assembling a class of recruits that could shape the program for years to come.
And above it all, Caitlin Clark’s continued rise has reshaped the way fans engage with basketball in Iowa—especially women’s basketball. She’s raised the bar, not just for what success looks like, but for how deeply fans can care about the game at every level.
A Dynamic New Era
Three to five years from now, we could be looking at a very different basketball map in Iowa. Iowa might be back in the national conversation under McCollum. Iowa State could be fielding one of the top young rosters in the country. And women’s basketball—propelled by Clark’s legacy—might be enjoying even more mainstream attention and grassroots support.
What’s clear now is that the Hawkeye State is no longer just a footnote in the college basketball world. It’s becoming a headline.