2026 Iowa Mr. Basketball Jaidyn Coon Signs with Hawkeyes: What It Means

2026 Iowa Mr. Basketball Jaidyn Coon signed with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Wednesday. What it all means for the program going forward.

Storm Lake junior Jaidyn Coon dunks the basketball against ADM during the Iowa high school boys state basketball tournament on Monday, March 10, 2025, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Mandatory Credit: Bryon Houlgrave-The Des Moines Register | Bryon Houlgrave/For the Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ben McCollum has won everywhere he has coached. First, it was at Division II Northwest Missouri State where he won four National Championships, and then at Drake, where he led the Bulldogs to 31 wins and the second round of the NCAA Tournament in his only season at the helm.

However, despite his successful track record, few expected the first-year Iowa coach to lead the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight in his first season. But that's exactly what he did, and top recruits are taking notice.

And that includes 2026 Iowa Mr. Basketball Jaidyn Coon. He signed with Iowa on Wednesday and ultimately chose the Hawkeyes over Big Ten rivals Illinois and Nebraska.

What Jaidyn Coon Signing Means for Iowa Basketball’s Future

Officially Official. 🔏

Welcome to the Hawkeye family, @CoonJaidyn32! pic.twitter.com/XC51QGKs0X

— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) April 15, 2026

What does Coon's signing mean for Iowa both long term and short term?

In today's college athletics landscape, it's almost impossible to predict any player's long-term future, regardless of the sport. More than 1,000 Division 1 men's basketball players entered the portal the very first day it opened, and it wouldn't surprise me if that number exceeds 2,000 before the transfer portal closes on April 21st.

So, predicting any college athlete's long-term future is like me or you picking the winning lottery numbers. It's just too hard to do.

As for how Coon impacts Iowa going forward, that's much easier to answer.

And it's pretty significant. The four-star recruit decommitted from Creighton back in late March, and with this signing, it's a momentum move. It shows faith in the Iowa program over the next few years.

Iowa lost Tavion Banks and Bennett Stirtz to the NBA Draft, and Alvaro Folgueiras entered the transfer portal last week, which means the Hawkeyes need to replace two starters and a key bench player.

And with Coon's ability to play both shooting guard and small forward, his chances of replacing Banks or Folgueiras are pretty high, regardless of who the Hawkeyes sign via the portal.

Jaidyn Coon's background

The four-star recruit is the 116th-ranked player nationally (44th small forward) and the third-ranked player in the state of Iowa, per 247 Sports. The Storm Lake High School graduate nearly averaged a double-double as a senior -- 22 points and 9.3 rebounds per game -- and shot 53.2% from the field.

4⭐️ Jaidyn Coon out of Storm Lake (IA) has committed to Iowa! @CoonJaidyn32

He was committed to Creighton before a coaching change. pic.twitter.com/U7Gt0Sq8hM

— And-One Films (@AndOneFilms) April 2, 2026

2026 recruiting class update

Coon is McCollum's second 2026 signee, joining four-star guard/forward Ethan Harris, who signed with the Hawkeyes in November. Following Coon's signing, Iowa is ranked 44th in 247 Sports' composite college basketball rankings.