Ben McCollum keeps stacking recruiting wins at Iowa, and now the Hawkeyes are making an early push on one of the top names in the 2028 class.
On Wednesday, Iowa offered 2028 five-star center Bentley Lusakueno, with Lusakueno announcing the offer on social media. The 6-foot-10 big man is from College Park, Georgia, and plays at Woodward Academy High School.
247Sports currently ranks Lusakueno as the seventh-best prospect in the 2028 class, and his offer sheet is already moving fast. He has nine Division I offers, with Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Oregon among the schools in the mix alongside Iowa.
Lusakueno is also drawing major attention from USA Basketball. He was part of the 2025 USA Men’s U16 National Team and was recently named a finalist for the 2026 USA Men's U17 National Team.
With two years of high school still ahead of him, Lusakueno figures to keep climbing in the recruiting rankings. That makes Iowa’s early offer notable, especially with McCollum already showing he can land elite talent.
Since arriving in Iowa City, McCollum has put together a strong run on the recruiting trail. He quickly assembled a solid 2025 class, then raised the bar this offseason by landing Ethan Harris and Jaidyn Coon. Iowa also already has a commitment from 2027 four-star forward Keller Daugherty.
There’s still work to be done in the 2027 class, but Iowa is clearly turning its attention toward the next wave. If McCollum wants to win the battle for Lusakueno, he’ll likely have to go toe-to-toe with some heavy hitters.
In Other News...
Gophers Just Landed A Visit That Could Shape Medveds Rebuild
Niko Medveds rebuild at Minnesota is already taking shape on the recruiting trail, and Isaiah Santos is the kind of name that can give it an early jolt. The 2027 four-star wing-forward from Texas has become a priority target for the Gophers, with a growing list of high-major offers and a reputation that extends well beyond one state line. He has also shown he can hold his own on the international stage with Brazil, which only adds to the appeal for a staff looking to identify impact talent early.
The timing of Santos July official visits makes this one worth tracking closely for Minnesota, especially with Vanderbilt and Texas Tech also in the mix. The Gophers are still trying to establish traction in the 2027 class, and landing a player of Santos caliber would matter not just for the roster eventually, but for the message it sends about Medveds reach and the kind of frontcourt-wing versatility he wants to build around. Even with the competition, Minnesota has put itself in position to make a real impression before the decision point arrives. [Read more 🡒]