RECRUITING: Iowa State’s 2027 basketball class: Where things stand now

[cydnote]

Can’t believe you got me defending them but here we are. They beat a one seed to get to that game. Like it or not they and Nebraska are legitimate contenders now.

Not to bag on any particular program, and I somewhat agree with them being contenders more so than in the past, but does a recruit view himself as a D2 athlete with a chance to play D1, or could I be one of 4 players on the floor in crunch time? ( ). Or should I opt for the staff that consistently finishes top 25/10 and believes in me enough to think I could be a fit for their program?

 

[cayin]

We will see how Iowa does without catching lighting in a bottle for a point guard.

 

[hurdleisu24]

looks like we are indeed last on the visit schedule wooohoo

Wow! That's a packed 7-8 days. Glad we're not in that mix. By the end of that string, it would all run together.

 

[CycloneVet]

Can’t believe you got me defending them but here we are. They beat a one seed to get to that game. Like it or not they and Nebraska are legitimate contenders now.

Somebody on that list decided at the most inopportune moment to play 4 on 5. I have never heard of that happening or seen it happen at any level.

 

[CloneLawman]

Somebody on that list not only went further than us but is the only team to beat a #1 seed. Not trying to start an argument but they do have selling points they didn’t have just over a week ago.

Is there anyone here who missed that development?

 

[AuH2O]

Can’t believe you got me defending them but here we are. They beat a one seed to get to that game. Like it or not they and Nebraska are legitimate contenders now.

And they and Neb were a 9 and a 4 with Senior led teams. They are both in good shape as programs, but let’s not overstate the meaning of a single NCAA tourney run yet.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Somebody on that list not only went further than us but is the only team to beat a #1 seed. Not trying to start an argument but they do have selling points they didn’t have just over a week ago.

The rest of the season also exists…

 

[blutarsky]

And they and Neb were a 9 and a 4 with Senior led teams. They are both in good shape as programs, but let’s not overstate the meaning of a single NCAA tourney run yet.

I think Williams and Blum eluded to it... It really comes down to money and playing time. I don't think a deep tourney run has a huge overall impact. Outside of being a relevant name later in the season.

 

[psycln11]

Somebody on that list decided at the most inopportune moment to play 4 on 5. I have never heard of that happening or seen it happen at any level.

 

[Kaner04]

Can’t believe you got me defending them but here we are. They beat a one seed to get to that game. Like it or not they and Nebraska are legitimate contenders now.

No one’s forcing you to defend them. You can rag on them like I’m doing (it’s fun). They got to play Clemson without their starting big, a Florida team with the worst set of guards for a 1 seed in recent history, and then 2 big 10 schools they already played

 

[Cyforce]

The point is not every Cinderella goes on to greatness after one Tourney run. Iowa was also a 9 seed who didn't exactly finish the regular season strong or compete for a conference championship or get mentioned as a Nat Champ contender like ISU. We have much better sustained success recently.

Remember NC State a couple years ago? They went to the Final Four as an 11 seed. Seems like eons ago, especially when they didn't even make the Tournament this year.

TJ sold hope with a 2 win team and it worked. We’re always going to have a good chance at any player we want and can afford.

Iowa has a coach that parlayed 4 D2 NC into a MVC championship and a tournament win. Then an elite 8 in his first year at a major. Thinking he isn’t going to be a formidable opponent on the recruiting trail is whistling in the dark.

 

[blutarsky]

TJ sold hope with a 2 win team and it worked. We’re always going to have a good chance at any player we want and can afford.

Iowa has a coach that parlayed 4 D2 NC into a MVC championship and a tournament win. Then an elite 8 in his first year at a major. Thinking he isn’t going to be a formidable opponent on the recruiting trail is whistling in the dark.

McCullum is a good coach with past success. I don't know how much of that really plays in today's recruitment/free agency model. I doubt TJ and Co are over looking him especially on key players where there's mutual interest. That said both are constructing rosters at different stages.

 

[Frak]

We will see how Iowa does without catching lighting in a bottle for a point guard.

Yeah, I'm sure that they'll be fine and potentially a tournament team if their main players return. But, their whole offense was based around Stirtz. He never came off the court. A natural at the pick and roll, the pocket pass and an unreal shooter. And that's with him being the focus of the defense every single night. Players like that don't just grow on trees. How good are Sage, Banks, Folgarus, Koch without Stirtz getting them the ball and sucking up defenders? I'm not saying they are going to suck, but that is a huge loss.

 

[Cyclonepride]

TJ sold hope with a 2 win team and it worked. We’re always going to have a good chance at any player we want and can afford.

Iowa has a coach that parlayed 4 D2 NC into a MVC championship and a tournament win. Then an elite 8 in his first year at a major. Thinking he isn’t going to be a formidable opponent on the recruiting trail is whistling in the dark.

More relevant than Mad Fran to be sure, but TJ has a very unique thing going that appeals to a certain set of kids. There will be some crossover of course, but they're selling different things and most of it will come down to the things that appeal to that particular recruit, same as any other program we compete against.

 

[AuH2O]

TJ sold hope with a 2 win team and it worked. We’re always going to have a good chance at any player we want and can afford.

Iowa has a coach that parlayed 4 D2 NC into a MVC championship and a tournament win. Then an elite 8 in his first year at a major. Thinking he isn’t going to be a formidable opponent on the recruiting trail is whistling in the dark.

Stirtz getting drafted in the first round will matter a whole hell of a lot more than this single tourney run.

McCollum is going to be formidable in recruiting. He's going to be successful at Iowa consistently. But the best indicator of ongoing tourney success is getting lots of whacks at the pinata as a high seed. This year's run as a 9 was impressive. But unless he's going to start generating some teams good enough to get top 3 seeds, history suggests he's going to have a hell of a time getting to a final 4. Realistically if they were in any other region there's a good chance they have a R32 loss with their one win against an 8 seed missing their big man.

He's always won. But he's also always won where a traditional recruiting approach was what had to be done in D2 and the MVC. He built enough of a good program and team, and maybe a bit of lighting in a bottle with Stirtz to get a 9 seed and have a great 3 game stretch. He hasn't recruited in a P4 conference really yet. He brought Stirtz, Manyua, and Banks with him, and Koch is a legacy holdover. I think McCollum will recruit pretty well. Well enough to win consistently and be a top 5 seed year in, year out? I don't know.

 

[AuH2O]

Yeah, I'm sure that they'll be fine and potentially a tournament team if their main players return. But, their whole offense was based around Stirtz. He never came off the court. A natural at the pick and roll, the pocket pass and an unreal shooter. And that's with him being the focus of the defense every single night. Players like that don't just grow on trees. How good are Sage, Banks, Folgarus, Koch without Stirtz getting them the ball and sucking up defenders? I'm not saying they are going to suck, but that is a huge loss.

I think Sage is surprisingly good and versatile. Koch is good, but not very versatile. Folgarus is really up and down. The other role players like Combs and Howard, kind of the same. They are decent. I think at that 3 and stretch 4 they are pretty well set and deep. They definitely need a 5 that can rebound and a PG to step up. I think those other guys are good enough the PG doesn't need to be elite, just solid at running the offense.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

No one’s forcing you to defend them. You can rag on them like I’m doing (it’s fun). They got to play Clemson without their starting big, a Florida team with the worst set of guards for a 1 seed in recent history, and then 2 big 10 schools they already played

Both things can be true. Iowa's run to the elite 8 was fun but that is gonna rarely work for an 8/9 seed. Like I said earlier in the thread, the rest of the season matters too and doesn't just wash out what was a average basketball team all season.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

TJ sold hope with a 2 win team and it worked. We’re always going to have a good chance at any player we want and can afford.

Iowa has a coach that parlayed 4 D2 NC into a MVC championship and a tournament win. Then an elite 8 in his first year at a major. Thinking he isn’t going to be a formidable opponent on the recruiting trail is whistling in the dark.

That formula is gonna rarely work though.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Stirtz getting drafted in the first round will matter a whole hell of a lot more than this single tourney run.

McCollum is going to be formidable in recruiting. He's going to be successful at Iowa consistently. But the best indicator of ongoing tourney success is getting lots of whacks at the pinata as a high seed. This year's run as a 9 was impressive. But unless he's going to start generating some teams good enough to get top 3 seeds, history suggests he's going to have a hell of a time getting to a final 4. Realistically if they were in any other region there's a good chance they have a R32 loss with their one win against an 8 seed missing their big man.

He's always won. But he's also always won where a traditional recruiting approach was what had to be done in D2 and the MVC. He built enough of a good program and team, and maybe a bit of lighting in a bottle with Stirtz to get a 9 seed and have a great 3 game stretch. He hasn't recruited in a P4 conference really yet. He brought Stirtz, Manyua, and Banks with him, and Koch is a legacy holdover. I think McCollum will recruit pretty well. Well enough to win consistently and be a top 5 seed year in, year out? I don't know.

IMO the biggest question mark with Ben is how does he want to build his program? Year 1 tells us nothing in that regard. It's getting really rare for teams to have 4 year players, you HAVE to be able to work the portal and Ben's one big portal pull last year was a total bust.

 

[isucy86]

Somebody on that list not only went further than us but is the only team to beat a #1 seed. Not trying to start an argument but they do have selling points they didn’t have just over a week ago.

I think Iowa's future is bright because of their coach. But I wouldn't place crazy importance in beating Florida. Shining moment for sure, but otherwise the Hawks were something like 1-8 against against a ranked team during the regular season. That just happened to be the Huskers, who they also beat during the Tournament.

The bigger draw for/against Iowa by any recruit is Iowa's system. Even with a stud in Stirtz at PG, the Hawks were one of the slowest paced offenses in D1. A recruit with NBA aspirations has to decide if that is a good fit. Also, does a recruit want to play in a motion or NBA style offense?