Iowa's Ben McCollum Pilfers Former Team in Transfer Portal Yet Again

Iowa Hawkeyes coach Ben McCollum keeps stealing players from his former team in the NCAA transfer portal.

Ben McCollum, Iowa's new head men's basketball coach, speaks during his introductory press conference Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes have been gutted in the transfer portal this offseason after the firing of Fran McCaffery, but new head coach Ben McCollum is certainly making up for it.

The ex-Drake Bulldogs coach has landed his fifth transfer from his former team, landing wing Tavion Banks in a significant move, Iowa has announced.

Banks played in 34 games for Drake this past year, making one start. During that time, he averaged 10.1 points and five rebounds over 20.1 minutes a night while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 70.5 percent from the free-throw line.

The 6-foot-7 swingman began his collegiate career at Northwest Florida State and spent two seasons there before transferring to Drake, where he established himself as a standout. He put together a couple of strong performances in the NCAA Tournament, most notably when he posted 15 points and nine rebounds in the Bulldogs' first-round win over Missouri.

Banks has just one year of eligibility remaining, but he should definitely provide a major life to a Hawkeyes squad that sorely needs it after a tremendously disappointing 2024-25 campaign.

McCollum has certainly had his work cut out for him since taking the Iowa job late last month, but he has been making a whole lot of noise in the early stages of his Big Ten tenure.

He led Drake to a 31-4 record and a Missouri Valley Conference title this past season and will be hoping to transform a Hawkeyes program that has lost its way the last several years.

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