Ben McCollum Breaks Down Iowa's Top 2026 Signee

The Iowa Hawkeyes, in their first season under recently hired head coach Ben McCollum, have jumped out to a more than ideal start. At 3-0 through three (admittedly favorable) games at home, McCollum's overhauled roster has handily proved in the earliest parts of the season that the new regime has an identity in meticulous offense, smothering defense and, perhaps above all else, star guard Bennett Stirtz.

Future Proofing

While the 2025-26 team continues to make a name for itself as competition inevitably steepens, McCollum and his staff have long been simultaneously busy building out the future of the program, too. After landing a commitment from four-star forward Ethan Harris back in September, the highly-touted recruit just set his word in ink by signing on the dotted line, officially making him an Iowa Hawkeye.

Following the news, Coach McCollum touched on Harris' qualities in an interview, citing what drew him to the recruit, what excites him and, ultimately, what he should bring to the table for the black and gold going forward.

"Ethan's got an elite amount of energy, McCollum said of the now-official signee. "We saw him at an 8 a.m. game, and he was lit. He was hype, ready to go, fiery, all that stuff...

Ben McCollum on four-star signee Ethan Harris: "Ethan's got an elite amount of energy. We saw him at an 8 a.m. game, and he was lit. He was hype, ready to go, fiery, all that stuff... Now add that to the fact that he can shoot, he's got guard skills, he can handle, he can do so… pic.twitter.com/egYbVQgt6p
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) November 17, 2025

Getting Over the Hump

"Now add that to the fact that he can shoot," he continued, "he's got guard skills, he can handle, he can do so many different things on the floor. And on top of that, he can guard guards, which is a big deal for us."

"He's exactly what we need to get this thing going and over the hump."

Iowa head coach Ben McCollum reacts during a basketball game against the Xavier Musketeers Nov. 14, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Standing at 6-foot-9 out of Camas High School, Harris' commitment represented the first for McCollum in the 2026 recruiting class. Harris, as McCollum mentioned, had made a name for himself on the recruiting trail for a well-rounded, if not scoring-heavy, game, drawing the attention of the likes of Washington and Gonzaga before ultimately deciding on a move to Iowa City.

While the class is sure to fill out further as McCollum's inevitable sophomore season approaches, Harris is already a strong first snag for a coach that truly appears to be just getting his feet wet at a new school. Hawkeyes fans will be happy to not only get used to winning on a consistent basis but also to be in the mix for high-level, versatile recruits that fit their team's scheme, such as this one.

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