Tavion Banks announced his departure from the Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball program on Instagram, ending a two‑year tenure that saw him emerge as a leading rebounder and scorer while also reflecting on his journey from Drake to the Elite Eight. He thanked coaches, teammates and fans for their support and highlighted his contributions as a dominant force on the glass and a reliable scoring option.
In April he declared for the 2026 NBA Draft and entered the transfer portal, a move rendered possible by a court injunction that granted the 2022 class a fifth year of eligibility, allowing him to remain in college for an additional season.
During the most recent campaign he appeared in all 37 games, starting every match except two, and led the Hawkeyes in rebounds while ranking second in scoring. He recorded double‑digit points on 19 occasions, highlighted by a 26‑point effort on the road against Indiana and a 20‑point contribution in an upset over top‑seeded Florida in the NCAA Tournament.
Iowa retained ten players from the Elite Eight roster, including Cam Manyawu, Kael Combs, Cooper Koch, Tate Sage and Isaia Howard, and added four newcomers — Ty'Reek Coleman, Andrew McKeever, Ethan Harris and Jaidyn Coon — to the squad.
Coach Ben McCollum, who had previously recruited six Drake transfers to join the Hawkeyes, praised Banks's impact and noted that the team will build around the returning core while integrating the new additions.
Looking Ahead
Banks said he will focus on preparing for the NBA Draft, hoping to translate his rebounding and scoring skills to the professional stage.