Iowa’s Ben McCollum Continues to Raid Former Team in Transfer Portal
Iowa Hawkeyes coach Ben McCollum is once again plucking players from his former team in the NCAA transfer portal.
The Hawkeyes have been hit hard by the transfer portal this offseason following the firing of Fran McCaffery, but new head coach Ben McCollum is working quickly to replenish the roster.
McCollum, who previously coached the Drake Bulldogs, has secured his fifth transfer from his old team, with the addition of wing Tavion Banks, as announced by Iowa.
Banks, who played 34 games for Drake last season and started once, averaged 10.1 points and 5 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game. He shot 52% from the field and 70.5% from the free-throw line.
Standing at 6-foot-7, Banks began his college career at Northwest Florida State, spending two seasons there before transferring to Drake, where he made a significant impact. He delivered key performances in the NCAA Tournament, including 15 points and 9 rebounds in Drake’s first-round win over Missouri.
Though Banks has just one year of eligibility left, his addition should provide a major boost to an Iowa team that struggled during the 2024-25 season.
McCollum has had a busy start to his tenure at Iowa, taking over the program just last month. However, he’s already making waves, having led Drake to a 31-4 record and a Missouri Valley Conference title this past season. Now, he hopes to turn around the Hawkeyes, a program that has struggled in recent years.
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