There are just a few days left before the transfer portal window opens for winter sport athletes.
The portal window opens on April 7 and stays open until April 21, but athletes can continue to transfer wherever they choose as long as their name is entered before midnight on April 20.
There is no shortage of candidates for Ben McCollum and the Hawkeyes to choose from, and we will keep you updated with everything related to the transfer portal.
There are multiple candidates to choose from early on, and we chose a few that fit what McCollum traditionally looks for.
Five early targets for Iowa to pursue
Candidate rankings done and updated by Busting Brackets
C Andrew McKeever - St. Mary's (No. 49 overall)
We discussed at length how Andrew McKeever could impact Iowa if he decides to head to Iowa City.
McKeever stands at seven-foot-three and is a solid rim protector and pick-and-roll big man. He averaged 8.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game this season for the Gaels, leading the WCC in rebounding.
Quality centers are projected to be in high demand during this transfer portal cycle, and the Hawkeyes need rim protection and rebounding in the worst way.
G Christian Bliss - Delaware (No. 48 overall)
If there is one point guard who emulates what Bennett Stirtz was for the Hawkeyes last season, it is Delaware guard Christian Bliss.
Bliss played nearly every minute of every game for the Hens this season, leading the nation in minutes per game with 39.8 (sound familiar?).
Even though he had a high usage rate last season, he was still efficient from three-point range, shooting 40 percent from downtown on 5.5 attempts per game. He averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.9 assists for the Hens last season.
G Alex Wilkins - Furman (No. 38 overall)
If Iowa wants to take the next step in their development, they must get better on the offensive end.
Enter talented sophomore guard Alexis Wilkins. Wilkins led Furman in points (17.8) and assists (4.7) per game this season and is poised to make the jump to the Division I level
Wilkins had seven games last season where he scored 25-plus points, including a season-high 34 points against UNCG in the SoCon Tournament. Iowa needs scoring, and Wilkins does that and more.
G Kevair Kennedy - Merrimack (No. 21 overall)
Kevair Kennedy, a six-foot-two freshman, filled up the stat sheet for Merrimack this season, averaging 18.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, shooting 45 percent from the field.
Kennedy had 16 games where he scored 20-plus points and was named the MAAC Player of the Year.
Kennedy is young, but will have three more seasons of available eligibility to develop in McCollum's system if McCollum does not elect to go with a more veteran option.
G Isaiah Johnson - Colorado (No. 9 overall)
Buffalos guard Isaiah Johnson was not a household name last season because Colorado struggled mightily.
Johnson put up 16.9 points and 3.0 assists per game last season, and his numbers should increase with a better supporting cast.
He scored eight-plus points in every game this season on an efficient 49-percent shooting from the field.
Final thoughts
All these talented players will be in high demand when the portal opens, and there is still plenty of time for more players to enter and the rankings to change.
Iowa needs a rim protector and a Bennett Stirtz replacement the most, and there is no indication of how much McCollum and the program will be allotted to spend on transfers this cycle.
If McCollum can bring in a legit rim protector and at least one talented guard, Iowa is in great shape to repeat its success from this season.