Iowa men's basketball hasn't lacked star power over the past decade, with some of the program's best players coming through.
Across the Fran McCaffery era and briefly into Ben McCollum's tenure, the Hawkeyes have been a team to be reckoned with in a loaded Big Ten. Not all of Iowa's best players were highly ranked coming out of high school, and they were developed in-house. Over the past decade, Iowa has won multiple critical battles on the recruiting trail, including with prospects and transfers. We are ranking Iowa's top-5 biggest wins and how they helped mold the program into what it is today.
No. 1: Luka Garza (2017)
Rivals ranking: four-star prospect, No. 2 Washington D.C., No. 12 center, No. 93 overall
Current Boston Celtics center and former Hawkeye star Luka Garza was the obvious choice for the No. 1 spot with all that he accomplished in Iowa City. Garza waited patiently and put in the work during his first two seasons to become arguably the best men's basketball player in Iowa program history. After averaging 12.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in his first two seasons, Garza finally became a full-time starter as a junior, and he made the most of it.
Garza nearly doubled his points per game average from 13.1 as a sophomore to 23.9 as a junior, and he averaged a career-high 9.8 rebounds per game that season. He earned back-to-back National Player of the Year Awards in his final two seasons and almost single-handedly carried Iowa to the NCAA Tournament. He finished his Iowa career ranked No. 1 in program history in points (2,306), field goals made (870), and field goals attempted (1,594), and No. 2 overall in rebounds (931).
He is also one of only nine former players to have his number retired by the program.
No.2: Bennett Stirtz (2025)
Rivals transfer ranking: five-star transfer, No. 2 overall transfer
Even though star point guard Bennett Stirtz began his career elsewhere, his impact on the program cannot be overstated. Stirtz earned the number two spot on the list because the Hawkeyes had to recruit him to join the program after he entered the portal, with multiple suitors and the NBA showing heavy interest. Luckily for the program, Stirtz admitted he was always going to follow McCollum to Iowa, and it worked out extremely well for both parties.
Stirtz led the team in points (19.8), assists (4.4), and steals (1.4) in his only season with the program, and he guided the program to its first Elite Eight appearance since 1987. He was also named a First-Team All-Big Ten selection (media), the first Hawkeye to be named a first-team selection since Kris Murray (2023). Stirtz did more for the program in one season than some did in their entire careers, justifying his spot at No. 2 on our list.
No. 3: Keegan Murray (2020)
Rivals ranking: three-star prospect, No. 17 Iowa, No. 53 small forward, No. 237 overall
Keegan Murray's meteoric rise from his first to his second season in Iowa City warrants close study. Keegan and his twin brother Kris entered the program as part of the 2020 recruiting class, but did not have the kind of hype he would soon get. In his first season, Murray earned only four starts, averaging 7.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game as a reserve and Luka Garza's primary backup. After Garza graduated, it was Keegan's time to shine, and to say he took advantage might be an understatement.
He led the team in most statistical categories, including points (23.5), rebounds (8.9), blocks (68), and steals, showcasing his tremendous ability on both ends of the court. He guided the team to a Big Ten Tournament title, earned unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten and All-American selection, and was named the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year. He declared for the draft after his second season and became the program's first first-round draft pick since Ricky Davis (1998).
His massive jump from his first to second years still make us wonder what would have happened if he would've gotten more playing time earlier in his career...
No. 4: Joe Wieskamp (2018)
Rivals ranking: four-star prospect, No. 1 Iowa, No. 17 small forward, No. 58 overall
Iowa native Joe Weiskamp was one of the highest-ranked recruits in the 2018 class, and he quickly showed why. Weiskamp started for Fran McCaffery as a freshman, and was an ironman throughout his career, starting all 97 games. He averaged 11.1 points per game as a freshman, and shot a stellar 42 percent from beyond the arc. Even though he never really broke out like most people thought, he was a consistent scorer for the squad, increasing his scoring averages every season.
He went from 11.1 points per game as a freshman to 14.8 as a senior, and shot over 40 percent for his career on three-pointers (41.2). Weiskamp is also the only junior in Iowa program history to tally 1,250-plus career points, 550-plus rebounds, 175-plus made three-pointers, 100-plus assists, and 75-plus steals. Weiskamp had a solid career for the Hawkeyes after committing out of Muscatine High School, averaging double digits in scoring all three seasons he was with the program.
No. 5: Tyler Cook (2016)
Rivals ranking: four-star prospect, No. 2 Missouri, No. 8 power forward, No. 62 overall
St. Louis product Tyler Cook was one of the best forwards in the country in the 2016 class, and he was a massive get for Fran McCaffery and the Hawkeyes. What Cook lacked in shooting, he definitely made up for with his freak athleticism and work ethic. Cook started all but three of his games in a Hawkeye uniform, and he quickly became a force for the squad in the paint.
Cook averaged double digits in all three seasons he was with the program and was known for his rim-rattling dunks and hard-nosed play on both ends. Cook was a little undersized for the center spot, but he held his own down low. Unfortunately for Cook, not only did he often play out of position, but the Hawkeyes struggled during his time with the program, excluding his final season.
Cook was a staple of the Hawkeye squad that finished 23-12 (10-10 Big Ten) after the team had only 14 games the year before, and made it back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. He finished his Iowa career as one of nine players in program history to tally 1,300-plus career points and 600-plus career rebounds.
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