How has the inside info? Who are we going to go hard at in the portal? We have some decent cash to play with this time around? Let’s see if we can get to 15 mil with some more donations.
Portal 2026 is Now Open
- Thread starter Hawkangler
- Start date
A lot of good young talent that must be retained first. Add a true big and pg from the portal and we should be ready to rock and roll.
Edit: 67 new names entered the portal yesterday per ESPN. Do you recruit late or try to get your ducks in a row early?
Edit: 67 new names entered the portal yesterday per ESPN. Do you recruit late or try to get your ducks in a row early?
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And that's precisely the problem. There is very little honor or loyalty left in college sports, anymore.
There actually ARE honorable/respectable coaches willing to have open dialog about an athlete's prospects for playing time, prospects for a professional career, and where the student-athlete is academically and in their life goals.
If it was MY kid, I'd want him or her to approach their coach(es), the ones who gave them their current opportunity, in the first place.
It's not beyond reason for a coach to be honest and say, "Kid, things aren't progressing the way you want. I/we don't envision you as a key, at least on the field/court. We won't remove you from the team, but if you want to get more playing time, we'll help you find a place where that can happen".
Good employers have outplacement services. Good coaches and schools will act in similar fashion.
Unfortunately, too many places won't, which is part of why this mess has been one of the results.
EDIT: Don't mean to knock your post. I totally understand looking out for your kid(s). I just find it sad that there seems to be little to no above-board dealings. And THAT starts with kids not feeling valued at their current schools, or at least being led to believe other schools value them "more".
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Great points. What some of us forget is the impact on current athletes at a given school. The domino effect can be potentially devastating to some of those kids.
How does a kid feel if he has put in his time for a couple years, only to have his coaches busting *** in the portal? And how loyal SHOULD a kid feel if he has been coaxed to stay and THEN the portal rears its ugly head
No. Too much connection to CMac! (note: this was part sarcasm)
I have to believe BM has a board with a list of prioritized targets for each position of need. If you have the opportunity to pick somebody up high on your list early then I don't think you wait. The last thing you want is to get into a bidding war late in the cycle. Along with that, if a player is primarily focused on $ and wants to wait to see if a better offer comes along then perhaps you don't want them.
Pretty big stakes and I'm sure a lot of stress for BM and staff.
Picture of board or it doesn't exist
Not only this, but I have to believe that the coaching staff has already had some indirect, behind-the-scenes communication with a few potential targets (via agents, etc.). Honestly, if they haven't, they are probably already falling behind.
I agree contact has been made with some of these players. Does anyone, including the NCAA, even know what is legal or illegal. What a mess. The NCAA could have put their foot down in the beginning to stop this mess, but did not. NIL, illegally behavior on recruiting is here to stay. Who knows what comes next?
If he doesn't want to play for Malone at UNC, he probably doesn't want to play for Ben at Iowa
NCAA wanted to put their foot down but lost in court.
This was inevitable once scotus ruled for athletes.
Ncaa had zero options.
Didn't see article posted yet. Article basically lays out why a portal player would / would not want to come to Iowa.
The NCAA had options before going to court, but failed to be flexible with student athletes, and they lost in a rare 9-0 case, uniting all of the justices in the first time in who knows how long.
Brett Decker, Liberty. Probably a big guy too. Decker is the one I know for sure we are pursing hard.
17 ppg, 2.6 boards and 1.1 assists, that last number preferably higher yet depends on supporting cast. Looks to play an average of 35-38 mpg like Stirtz, interesting find. Was a soph last year.
47% from 3!
Read too that we are looking at PG's from Furnam and Tulane as well....also a 7-2 guy from Colorado yet he's a little lanky.17 ppg, 2.6 boards and 1.1 assists, that last number preferably higher yet depends on supporting cast. Looks to play an average of 35-38 mpg like Stirtz, interesting find. Was a soph last year.
47% from 3!
Bad would be an understatement. He wasn't even getting on the floor late in the year.....
It also has to REALLY limit opportunities for high school players at major schools.....
Traore who left us for Utah back in portal i see.
and to add to it Dembele as well. Leaving unlv
and to add to it Dembele as well. Leaving unlv
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I also heard we’re talking with…
Edit: added Isaiah Johnson, PG from CO as I to have heard of that possibility. I know that’s been mentioned by others in an earlier post in this or another thread.
- Terrance Ford Jr. (Tulsa) - PG
- Sananda Fru (Louisville) - C
- Isaiah Johnson )Colorado) - PG
Edit: added Isaiah Johnson, PG from CO as I to have heard of that possibility. I know that’s been mentioned by others in an earlier post in this or another thread.
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Hmm, I wonder who the 7-2 guy is from Colorado? If it's Bangot Dak he is around 7 ft tall and super skinny. That said, he has some hops and I've seen him knock down 3s. More athletic than he appears.
He is a starter and seemed solid when I've seen him play.
I just don't buy that Iowa is interested in a PG that only averaged 1 assist.17 ppg, 2.6 boards and 1.1 assists, that last number preferably higher yet depends on supporting cast. Looks to play an average of 35-38 mpg like Stirtz, interesting find. Was a soph last year.
47% from 3!
We'll see
That was my initial read on it too yet maybe there's some inside baseball there where he wasn't getting more due to players around him or maybe he's just more of a scorer himself.
Definitely a scoring PG.
Guys that are facilitators get more than 1 assist, regardless of what their teammates can do. Especially in 35 minutes.
I can understand interest from Iowa, as a combo guard, with the intention of also adding a true PG.
But again, I don't buy, for one second, that Decker is Iowa's PG next season
The kid from Butler has been mentioned too. Not sure if he’s been named here yet.
Some boards rate Johnson as a top 10 portal player. Saw a report on you tube rhat he was leaning UCLA for big $$$$
He’d be a great get but sounds like he may be out of our price range.
The guards from Liberty and Tulsa are intriguing.
Sounds like Johnson wants to stay out West, he is from LA.
Hopefully, Iowa can get the guy from Furman or Tulsa in…also hoping they are considering the guy from Toledo - Leroy Blyden. I just don’t know about the Liberty option. A great shooter, for sure. Definitely will trust this staff and get behind anyone they pick up.
Is the Furman guy you reference Wilkins?
And I just looked up Blyden, he really appears to be a very good option too.
Yep, Wilkins from Furman. Blyden stats look good, I'll have to check out some clips, 16 ppg, 4 rpg, 4+ assists per game...hmmm, on paper sounds good.
@Franisdaman, maybe you can insert the names of the PG and C targets with some highlight clips...
As a start...
Johnson is a highly coveted portal addition but it doesn't sound like the NBA is excited about his size. With that in mind, he will likely be looking to make as much $$ as possible while in college. I have also heard that UCLA may lead for his services.
Sananda Fru only has one year of eligibility remaining. I'm a bit surprised we aren't going for a big with more than one year left.
Kind of agree. Howard is a fantastic athlete but played low level high school ball and just seemed very unsure of himself this year. I thought already having a year under his system from Drake he would have been more ready this year but was poor from 3 and just didn’t improve much. Now he obviously has 2 years to go but we need more.
We're reportedly going after Drew Mckeever too