Jaidyn Coon's eye-popping athleticism gives Iowa something it desperately needed

If there is one thing that Iowa has in spades on its roster before Ben McCollum's second season, it's long, athletic wings.

With Cooper Koch, Tate Sage, and Trey Thompson returning, the Hawkeyes added to their wing depth with 2026 commits Jaidyn Coon and Ethan Harris, giving McCollum a lot of flexibility on the perimeter. Iowa doesn't have a shortage of six-foot-six to six-foot-ten wings/forwards, and that versatility will be key for the program next season. While most of Iowa's wing players fit the mold of being versatile on both ends, one player's immense athleticism gives the program a different dimension.

Jaidyn Coon's freak athleticism has been on full display, and it's exactly what Iowa needs

Sage, Koch, and Isaia Howard have dominated the early headlines from Iowa's summer practices and for good reason, but Jaidyn Coon is displaying why he has the potential to make an immediate impact for the Hawkeyes next season.

In a short clip that was posted by the official Iowa Men's Basketball X account, Coon is shown dunking all over six-foot-eleven big man Trevin Jirak and catching a lob and throwing down a massive alley-oop over Joey Matteoni. Coon's athleticism has always been one of his biggest assets, and it will definitely come in handy if he wants to carve out a role in his first season with the Hawkeyes. Coon was easily the most athletic player on the court during every game he played for Storm Lake, and while his shooting was inconsistent last season, his defense and dunking were not.

Koch, Sage, Harris, and Thompson are all versatile players who can shoot, pass, and dribble, but none of them are as gifted athletically as Coon. He uses his athleticism to finish strong at the rim and grab offensive rebounds, while also using his length and size to guard the opposition's best players and block shots at the defensive end. He admitted over the summer that his shooting woes as a senior bothered him, but he still averaged 22.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game thanks to his elite slashing and dunking ability.

In the past, Iowa has often lacked athletes who could get to the rim at will and finish strong through contact, and Coon can do that and more with the rim-rattling dunks he has displayed. Even though McCollum has been very vocal about his desire to recruit guards/forwards who can do it all, Coon can earn minutes based on his defense and athleticism. That is not to say he can't shoot, but if he can get to the rim off the dribble and force defenders to stop him, that opens up shooting lanes for his teammates. He has been working on his shot this summer, and if he can get to the point where he is consistently knocking down mid or long-range shots, that makes his athleticism even scarier to match up against.

Iowa has plenty of perimeter shooters, but they don't have many elite slashers who can get to the rim and finish with ease like Coon. It wouldn't be a surprise if he played a key reserve role early on, especially if McCollum utilizes a smaller lineup.

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