Iowa women's basketball continues to be in play for multiple highly-ranked recruits as we approach the 2026-2027 season.
Jan Jensen and her staff have ramped up their pursuit of prospects in the 2029 class, but that hasn't stopped them from earning multiple recruiting victories in the 2027 class. With elite shooter Jada Seubert already locked in, the program was also named as a finalist for Nation Williams, the No. 10 overall prospect in the class. Williams has Iowa in her final five and has also locked in an official visit this fall. With the recruiting victories pouring in, Iowa got another one as a top-25 prospect with a familiar last name has the program in her final four.
2027 four-star PF prospect Destiny Manyawu has Iowa in her final four
Iowa has been aggressively pursuing guard depth to add to the roster over the past month, but with Ava Heiden on her third of potentially five years and Hays as the only other player with significant size as a backup, the program also lacks size. There is still time to add talented bigs via the recruiting trail or the transfer portal, but the program got some great news, as a highly touted Missouri prospect has them in her final four.
NEWS: Top 2027 recruit Destiny Manyawu has narrowed to her top four programs and set official visits to each, she told @Rivals.Â
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) July 31, 2026
She broke down her visit schedule and experience with each program.
READ (+): https://t.co/i80Y3T2FqW pic.twitter.com/mZHu0Ysd4q
Four-star power forward prospect Destiny Manyawu has narrowed her choices to four, with the Hawkeyes making the final cut alongside Duke, Michigan, and Oklahoma. Destiny is the younger sister of current Hawkeye men's basketball player Cam Manyawu, and Rivals currently ranks her as Missouri's No. 1 prospect and the No. 25 overall prospect in the 2027 class. Manyawu stars for Staley High School in Kansas City, MO, as well as for the All Iowa Attack Nike EYBL squad. Manyawu not only put Iowa in her final four, but she also locked in an official visit on October 10.
Manyawu initially received an offer from Iowa women's basketball in June and has the program in her final four after receiving over 20 offers. Manyawu's looming commitment should be a massive focus for the program due to her versatility on both ends of the court. She is a force down low, but can also step out and knock down mid-range jumpers, something Iowa doesn't normally get from its post players. Her game is very similar to current Hawkeye Ava Heiden, and pairing the two would instantly push Iowa into contention in the Big Ten and nationally.
An Ava Heiden-Destiny Manyawu post pairing would be a dream scenario
Since she burst onto the scene in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments as a freshman, Ava Heiden has easily been one of Iowa's best and most important players. She is a force in the paint who can score with either hand, and she also excels at getting out in transition for easy baskets. Heiden does most of her damage in the paint, and potentially pairing her with Manyawu would give the Hawkeyes a different element on both ends. Manyawu has a very smooth jumper and solid ball-handling skills that most bigs don't have, allowing her not only to get to her spots with ease but also to get to the rim quickly.
She is more athletic on both ends, racking up steals and blocked shots, and would be a nice compliment to Heiden with her ability to spot up from mid-range. Jensen could have a nice high-low offensive option, and could also spread the floor for shooters with the defense packing the paint. Manyawu would also be an excellent replacement when Heiden departs the program in a few years, and she would definitely sure up the paint for years to come. If the Hawkeyes can add her alongside Nation Williams, there won't be any more talk about potential problems with size, as both players are in the top-tier of all players in the 2027 class.
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