Iowa Meeting With Top Recruit That Could Change the Hawkeyes' Direction

If the Iowa Hawkeyes can land this top recruit, it could change the trajectory of their basketball program.

Jan 4, 2025; Gilbert, AZ, USA; Gonzaga (DC) guard Nykolas Lewis (5) against Chaminade (MO) guard Elijah Poniewaz (25) during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Highland High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes have certainly not been known as a heavyweight basketball program, but new head coach Ben McCollum seems to be aiming to change that.

McCollum has already landed multiple players via the transfer portal, pilfering his old team, the Drake Bulldogs, to try and build Iowa's roster heading into next season.

Well, McCollum is also apparently hard at work on the recruiting trail and has landed a visit with four-star point guard Nyk Lewis on Friday, via Sam Kayser of 247 Sports.

Lewis is the seventh-ranked point guard in the class of 2025 and is ranked 50th nationally by 247 Sports' composite rankings.

Tyler Tachman of The Des Moines Register notes that should Iowa actually land Lewis, it would mark one of the biggest recruiting wins in the recent history of the school.

Lewis has played his high school basketball at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. and was named the 2024-25 District of Columbia MaxPreps Player of the Year.

Now, it should be noted that Iowa initially made an offer to Lewis back in 2023 when Fran McCaffery was still at the helm for the Hawkeyes, but he committed to Xavier before reopening his recruitment last month. We'll see if McCollum can finish what McCaffery started.

You certainly get the feeling that McCollum's presence may very well alter the trajectory of Iowa basketball, which has never been an elite program.

The Hawkeyes went just 17-16 this past season, going 7-13 in Big Ten conference play. It marked their third straight year without an NCAA Tournament appearance.

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