Ben McCollum’s first 2027 commit at Iowa is already giving Hawkeye fans a reason to pay attention.
Keller Daugherty, the 6-foot-10 forward who pledged to Iowa last month, put together an eye-opening performance Thursday in the RL Hoops Circuit. The four-star prospect, now ranked as the 107th-best player in the class by 247Sports, piled up 30 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks.
That kind of stat line is exactly why Iowa moved early and beat out Oklahoma, Colorado State and Drake for his commitment. Daugherty was a three-star when he chose the Hawkeyes, but his stock has since climbed, and he’s now drawing the kind of attention that comes with being one of the more highly regarded prospects in the 2027 class.
What stood out in the RL Hoops Circuit wasn’t just the scoring. Daugherty made his presence felt at both ends, using defense to spark transition chances and turn stops into easy offense. Against elite competition, he looked like a player who could impact the game in a lot of different ways.
And that setting matters. The RL Hoops Circuit is one of the top independent grassroots leagues in the country, packed every year with some of the nation’s best high school talent. Daugherty didn’t just hold his own there - he produced one of the louder performances of the day.
For Iowa, it’s another encouraging sign under McCollum. After last season’s Elite Eight run, the Hawkeyes are trying to show that wasn’t a one-off. Landing Daugherty was a strong start, and nights like this only add to the buzz around what Iowa is building in Iowa City.
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Stremlow appears ready to step into the starting five and become Iowas main threat from beyond the arc, a role that matters even more after the departures in the backcourt. Houston, meanwhile, is expected to log meaningful minutes and help on the glass after showing real value as a freshman, and Iowas need for that kind of production only grows with more frontcourt holes to fill. [Read more 🡒]