If there is one thing that Iowa has in spades on its roster before Ben McCollum’s second season, it’s long, athletic wings.
With Cooper Koch, Tate Sage, and Trey Thompson returning, the Hawkeyes added to their wing depth with 2026 commits Jaidyn Coon and Ethan Harris, giving McCollum a lot of flexibility on the perimeter. Iowa doesn’t have a shortage of six-foot-six to six-foot-ten wings/forwards, and that versatility will be key for the program next season. While most of Iowa’s wing players fit the mold of being versatile on both ends, one player’s immense athleticism gives the program a different dimension.
Jaidyn Coon’s freak athleticism has been on full display, and it’s exactly what Iowa needs
Sage, Koch, and Isaia Howard have dominated the early headlines from Iowa’s summer practices and for good reason, but Jaidyn Coon is displaying why he has the potential to make an immediate impact for the Hawkeyes next season.
Iowa freshman wing Jaidyn Coon is definitely an athlete.Nasty dunks from prep days at Storm Lake appear to be translating to summer workouts in Iowa City.🎥 @IowaHoopspic.twitter.com/iLK8LH5E69
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) July 24, 2026
In a short clip that was posted by the official Iowa Men’s Basketball X account, Coon is shown dunking all over six-foot-eleven big man Trevin Jirak and catching a lob and throwing down a massive alley-oop over Joey Matteoni. Coon’s athleticism has always been one of his biggest assets, and it will definitely come in handy if he wants to carve out a role in his first season with the Hawkeyes. Coon was easily the most athletic player on the court during every game he played for Storm Lake, and while his shooting was inconsistent last season, his defense and dunking were not…