Jaidyn Coon arrived at Iowa with a built-in connection to the program, but the path that finally brought him to Iowa City was anything but simple.
The Storm Lake product grew up pulling for the Hawkeyes, and when Ben McCollum took over at Iowa in March of 2025, the fit looked obvious. McCollum had recruited Coon before, both are from Storm Lake, and the freshman’s versatility and motor lined up with the kind of hybrid players McCollum wants. But Creighton stayed in the hunt and landed Coon’s commitment on May 15, 2025, at a point when Iowa was already working from behind because it had less time to build the relationship in Iowa City.
Coon spent his senior season expecting to wear Bluejay colors, and he turned in the kind of year that made him one of the state’s top names. He was named Iowa’s Mr.
Basketball after averaging 22.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals while shooting 53.2% from the field. He finished as Storm Lake’s all-time leading scorer, helped the Tornadoes reach the state tournament for the second straight year, and delivered the program’s first state tournament win since 1980.
His high school run ended with 36 points and 18 rebounds in the semifinals, even though Storm Lake fell short of the title game.
Then the recruiting board changed fast. A week and a half after Coon’s high school career ended, Creighton coach Greg McDermott announced his retirement.
The next day, Coon reopened his recruitment, one day after Iowa’s Round of 32 upset of 1-seed Florida. He was hoping the Hawkeyes would still have room, and a week later he was on campus for an official visit and committed to the black and gold.
For Coon, the timing lined up in a way that still feels hard to believe.
"I always grew up a die-hard Iowa Hawkeye fan, so it was amazing," Coon said of Iowa's NCAA Tournament run. "That was a memorable moment for me and probably my favorite, to be honest."
"They just have a great family atmosphere. I loved it. I should've taken more time, but I'm just glad to be part of the team right now, and that's all that matters."
Coon is one of two freshmen in Iowa’s incoming class, joining fellow four-star hybrid Ethan Harris. The two are similar in size and profile - Coon is listed at 6-foot-7, Harris at 6-foot-9 - but they bring different flavors.
Coon is the more explosive mover, a strong leaper who thrives as a cutter and an off-ball weapon. He also gives Iowa the kind of defensive flexibility McCollum values, with the ability to handle multiple positions.
That versatility is central to how Coon sees his role.
"I'm a defender, and I'm guarding one of the better players on the floor," Coon said of his role. "I guard most of the positions, one through four, so mostly defender, slasher, cutting to the rim, and dunks. Create plays for my teammates, too."
The role at Iowa looks closer to what he did with D1 Minnesota on the 3SSB Circuit than the on-ball responsibilities he carried at Storm Lake. His cutting, his feel for reading defenses and his ability to finish with force at the rim all stand out, and those traits echo some of what Tate Sage brought as a freshman last season.
"My cutting," Coon said of where he feels he's transitioned the best. "I feel like I'm a great cutter and seeing and evaluating how the play plays out."
There are still parts of his game Iowa wants to sharpen. Coon’s handle can get loose, and while he won’t be asked to live on the ball this season, becoming more dependable with the dribble would give him another way to punish closeouts and make himself harder to take off the floor.
The shot is another work in progress. Coon has had uneven results from three, but he says the issue has been confidence more than mechanics. His form is smooth, and he’s focused on becoming more comfortable as a catch-and-shoot option and as a movement shooter.
"I was struggling with a bit of confidence last year," Coon said. "I know I can shoot the ball a bit, I was struggling last year and I let it get to my head. Here, I've been clear-minded, getting on the gun every day, and shooting my shots to get the confidence back up."
For now, Coon’s defensive versatility and athleticism already look ready for the Big Ten. The offensive side still has room to grow, but he’s bought into the approach Iowa is selling and says the transition has gone smoothly.
"We have a great team, great group of guys," Coon said. "We have a family atmosphere, so it's been pretty easy to get involved in some things.
Coach McCollum and all the coaches have worked with me on my development and all things like that. The speed has been the biggest adjustment, the speed and the physicality.
It's been solely learning and going well."
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