An explosive athlete from Ben McCollum's backyard is a must-get for the program

With the offseason in full swing, Ben McCollum and his staff have the difficult task of retaining and adding to the roster for sustained success.

Iowa overachieved in McCollum's first year at the helm, and with more time to build the roster this season, McCollum can go out and get the guys he wants to fill out the roster.

The transfer portal opens on April 7, and there is still time to add more talent to the 2026 recruiting class. Forward prospect Ethan Harris is Iowa's lone recruit in the 2026 class, but McCollum is trying to change that by hosting a talented in-state prospect he has eyed for some time.

Iowa native Jaidyn Coon has re-opened his recruitment

With Trey Thompson reclassifying to the 2025 class to join the program right away, McCollum needs more reinforcements from the class, and is looking to a player from his neck of the woods.

A week after announcing he was reopening his recruitment, top-five Iowa prospect Jaidyn Coon is making a visit to Iowa City.

Shortly after McCollum got to Iowa City, he went to Storm Lake to visit with Coon, but Coon ultimately decided to commit to Creighton University and Greg McDermott.

After McDermott announced his retirement, Coon reopened his recruitment, giving McCollum another shot to land the talented in-state prospect.

Coon is a must-get for McCollum, not only because he is also from Storm Lake, Iowa, but also because he is a dynamic athlete who can jump out of the gym.

Coon averaged 22.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game during his senior year at Storm Lake, proving he is effective on both ends of the court.

He oozes athleticism, and standing at six-foot-seven, he is exactly the type of player McCollum likes to have an abundance of.

247Sports composite currently ranks Coon as a four-star prospect, Iowa's No. 3 overall prospect, the No. 44 small forward prospect, and the No. 116 overall prospect in the 2026 recruiting class.