Taking stock of Iowa’s 2025-26 rotation as the portal opens

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 28: Kael Combs #11 of the Iowa Hawkeyes dribbles the ball during the Elite Eight round game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Toyota Center on March 28, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jack Dempsey/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images It’s that time of year again. When the door on the season closes, the window of the portal opens.

So far, there’s been no official movement among the Iowa Hawkeyes, though that could change. But the current state of Iowa’s roster is … pretty good all things considered. As JP noted, the Hawks lose 3 guys through graduation, though Tavion Banks could find another year given how juco seasons have been wiped out with court decisions.

Bennett Stirtz leaves a 40 MPG hole, of course, but Brendan Hausen’s on court contributions were small. Credit to Ben McCollum’s roster building for not coming over from Drake with a rotation full of seniors which will require total replacement. So Iowa can be very selective in who they bring aboard.

Point Guard Kael Combs was one of the unsung heroes of this season. He was among the biggest question marks I had when he came over, as he played just 13 minutes a game at Drake, which was barely a step up from his minutes at Wyoming. While his scoring was at just 6.