The Iowa Hawkeyes are best known for the exploits of Caitlin Clark this season, but the men have put together a pretty nice season, to, going 18-12 heading into their final game of the season against Michigan.

Who are the best Iowa Men’s basketball players this NCAAB 2023-24 season?

Forward Payton Sandfort, guard Tony Perkins and forward Ben Krikke are the three leading scorers on the Hawkeyes.

Iowa Hawkeyes Roster History

Ever since Ed Rule coached the Hawkeyes to a 10–2 record in their very first season of varsity basketball, he has set the standard for winning percentage. Rule’s teams compiled a 37-15 record over fur non-consecutive seasons, and his winning percentage stands as the best among head coaches in Iowa basketball history. The Hawkeyes have played in 29 NCAA Tournaments, had eight National Invitation Tournament appearances, won eight Big Ten regular-season conference championships and won the Big Ten tournament 10 times.

Iowa basketball was widely successful in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s with a program resurgence under Lute Olson, George Raveling and Tom Davis, and Olson, Sam Barry and Ralph Miller have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.

Luke Garza has been selected the Big Ten Player of the Year, and Roy Marble and Ronnie Lester are among those who have had their numbers retired.

Famous Iowa Basketball Players

Luke Garza has been selected the Big Ten Player of the Year, and Roy Marble and Ronnie Lester are among those who have had their numbers retired.

Ranking the Top 10 Greatest Iowa Men’s CBB Players of all time

  1. Adam Haluska (2004-2007)

Position: Shooting guard
Career Stats with the Hawkeyes: 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds

A transfer from Iowa State after his first college season, Haluska was a second round pick of the New Orleans Hornets but never played a single NBA game. The native of Carroll, Iowa played for the Iowa Energy of the G-League before playing professionally With Hapoel Jerusalem. In 2006, he had a career high of 31 points against Coppin State, then bettered that with a career-high of 36 against Georgia State.

  1. Reggie Evans (2000-2001) 

Position: Power forward
Position: Career Stats with the Hawkeyes: 15.3 points, 11.5 rebounds

Eventually a member of seven NBA teams from 2002-2015, the Pensacola Community College student (he is from Pensacola, Florida) transferred to Iowa for his final two seasons and led the nation in free throws attempted, free throws made and double-doubles. He was Big Ten Player of the Year in 2001, and he led the Big Ten in rebounding in 2002.

  1. Fred Brown (1969-1971) 

Position: Shooting guard
Career Stats with the Hawkeyes: 22.7 points, 4.2 rebounds. Awards: NBA All-Star 1976

Known as “Downtown” Freddie Brown, he played all 14 of his NBA seasons after leaving Iowa, where the Milwaukee native spend his final two college seasons after earning his nickname in Milwaukee for his shooting prowess. Brown finished his senior year at the University of Iowa in 1971, averaging 27.6 points per game, and was drafted by the ABA Kentucky Colonels and No. 6 overall by the Sonics. He chose the NBA.

  1. Les Jepsen (1986-1990) 

Position: Center
Career Stats with the Hawkeyes: 5.9 points, 5.0 rebounds.

A late bloomer, the native of Bowbells, North Dakota eventually made it to the NBA with the Golden State Warriors after averaging 14.0 points and 11.9 rebounds in his senior season. He barely got off the bench in his first two seasons at Iowa, but hit the weight room and added the bulk that allowed him to have a productive pro career and draw an NBA pension. He later played for pro teams in England and Sweden.

  1. Acie Earl (1989-1993)

Position: Center
Career Stats with the Hawkeyes: 15.3 points, 7.0 rebounds

The native of Peoria, Illinois had 50 blocked shots in limited time as a freshman and 101 blocked shots as a sophomore in 1991 when they were defeated by Duke in the second round of the tournament. He averaged more than four blocked shots as a junior but again lost to Duke, and went on to play for Boston, Toronto and Milwaukee before finishing his career overseas in France, Austria, China, Poland, Russia, Montenegro and Kosovo become coaching in Mexico.

  1. Don Nelson, (1959-1962)

Position: Forward
Career Stats with the Hawkeyes: 21.1 points, 10.9 rebounds
Awards: Third-team All-American (1962)

Best known for his prowess as a coach with several NBA teams and a player with the Boston Celtics from 1964-1976, “Nellie” was a three-year starter at Iowa after coming out his hometown of Rock Island, Illinois (he was born in Muskegon, Michigan) and being recruited by a former alumnus of Rock Island high school against the wishes of his father, who wanted him to become a watch repairman. In 1961 he was the only starter remaining after an academic scandal sidelined four others, and the reserves rallied around him as Iowa finished second in the Big Ten.   

  1. Ryan Bowen (1994-1998) 

Position: Power forward
Career Stats with the Hawkeyes: 9.1 points per game. 6.7 rebounds per game

The Fort Madison, Iowa native was the quintessential “hustle guy” and made it to the NBA for a cup of coffee with the Nuggets, Rockets, Hornets and Thunder before becoming an assistant coach with the Kings and Nuggets, the latter of which he was with when he won an NBA title as an assistant coach. For the Hawkeyes, he continues to hold the record for career steals.

  1. Roy Marble (1985-1989) 

Position: Shooting guard/Small forward
Career Stats with the Hawkeyes: 15.8 points, 5.0 rebounds

A native of Flint, Michigan who died of cancer in 2015 when he was just 48, Marble left the college as Iowa's all-time leading scorer with 2,116 points, a record which stood for 32 years until Luka Garza broke it. His son, Devyn, followed in his footsteps and attended Iowa and made it to the NBA, and he and his dad are the first father-son duo to each score 1,000 points.

  1. B.J. Armstrong (1985-1989) 

Position: Point guard
Career Stats with the Hawkeyes: 13.1 points, 5.1 assists

An NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls while playing alongside Michael Jordan, Armstrong, a native of Detroit, Michigan, graduated from Iowa as the Hawkeyes’ all-time leader in assists with 517. He was a 44-percent 3-point shooter and emerged as a team leader upon the first retirement of Michael Jordan. He became an NBA All-Star in 1994 and was a tree-time NBA champion from 1991-93.

  1. Connie Hawkins (1961)

Position: Power forward
Career Stats with the Hawkeyes: None

A member of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, Hawkins was caught up in the 1961 point-shaving scandal at Iowa and never played a game for the Hawkeyes, although he was eventually exonerated and went on to a prestigious career in the ABA and the NBA while also playing for the Harlem Globetrotters. Bur before he made it to the NBA, he was blackballed by ten-commissioner J. Walter Kennedy under a policy that barred anyone even remotely associated with a point shaving scandal. After fighting and appealing and finally winning, he had his uniform number (42) retired by the Phoenix Suns.

Parameters of Rankings

With the Hawkeyes, there is more than 120 years of history to go over, and we ended up ranking the player who we felt was the best of them all but had the misfortune of having his name scandalized when he had done nothing wrong. The other fell into place in terms of their accomplishments both with the Hawkeyes and beyond their college careers. Iowa is a big state and right now has one big star: Caitlin Clark. Here’s hoping her accomplishments in the NBA rival those of Hawkins’ in the NBA.

Bet on NCAAB Odds at Betway

Find season long NCAAB odds on the Betway. You'll find all the latest spreads, totals, money lines and over/under. Missed tip off? No problem, Betway also offers live betting. All your NCAAB betting needs are covered at our online sportsbook.