Though Iowa fans are still locked in on their 5-1 football team, it will be basketball season inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena before we know it. 

Anticipation for both squads is high, but the palpable buzz surrounding the men's basketball program is something that Hawkeye fans haven't created in years. Iowa is fresh off a Cinderella NCAA tournament run that saw it advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in 39 years, and Hawkeye fans hope a more-experienced roster can translate that improbable run into a successful 2026-27 campaign. 

With media day now in the rearview mirror, it's time to begin previewing this Iowa team. There's a million different places you can start, but we're going to start with the guards. While the Hawkeyes do feel like they have more size this season (more on that in the future), Iowa's system still needs its guards to facilitate the offense. 

Here we go. 

Year: Fourth 

Height: 6-foot-4 

Weight: 204 pounds 

Any success at the guard position begins and ends with Combs. The Nixa, Missouri native was in the starting lineup for most of last season to help give Iowa another ball handler when Bennett Stirtz was heavily defended, but Combs isn't just going to be an extra body this season - he may just have to be the go-to scorer for this team. Last year's splits (6.1 PPG, 2.4 APG, 2.4 RPG) weren't eye-popping, but it really seemed like Combs figured things out near the end of season. He tallied 18 points in the season finale against Nebraska before carrying that over to the postseason and recording 15 in the first round victory over Clemson.

Combs has always been a reliable defender and distributor, but it looked like he needed more confidence to let it fly from deep. That's exactly what happened late in the 2026 season, and if that confidence returns in 2027, Iowa will be in good shape. The bottom line: a confident Combs is a very talented basketball player. 

Year: Second 

Height: 6-foot-3 

Weight: 190 pounds 

Coleman may not have the experience that Combs has, but Iowa sure does like what it has in Coleman. McCollum praised Coleman for his "twitchy" athleticism over the summer, and he reiterated that point at media day on Oct. 12. Some Hawkeye fans were slightly skeptical when McCollum decided to bring the Illinois State transfer (10.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.8 APG last year) in as a likely replacement for Stirtz at the point, but it's very easy to see why Iowa is so high on him. Coleman fits the mold of a McCollum-coached guard because of his speed, effort, and ability to get to the basket. 

That's also why Coleman wanted to play for McCollum in the first place. While every basketball coach has had success in their own way, Coleman attributes McCollum's successful track record to his ability to run an unselfish program. 

"I think that's why Iowa is at the place that it's in because he has guys that want to come in and get better and and compete at that level, and it's really good for the guys in the locker room, and for what we can put out there on the court," Coleman said. 

Year: Second 

Height: 6-foot-7 

Weight: 210 pounds 

Remember, this is just a guess of what McCollum's starting lineup is going to be. Though Combs and Coleman are likely going to handle the primary ball-handling duties, McCollum is comfortable with any of his guards bringing the ball up the floor. One of the names he mentioned at media day was Sage, who could easily be in the starting lineup if McCollum wants him to be. 

No one thought Sage would be an impact player for the 2026 Hawkeyes after he flipped his commitment from Drake to Iowa at the last second, but as the season wore on, he was one of the most important bench players. The Oklahoma native tallied a career-high 19 points in the Sweet 16 win over Nebraska, and he definitely didn't look like a freshman out there.

Not only does Sage have a pretty jumper (38% from three last year), his 6-foot-7 frame allows him to disrupt passing lanes on defense. Having a year of Big Ten basketball under his belt is only going to help Sage this season, and he's probably going to be the first man of the bench if he doesn't start. 

Year: Third 

Height: 6-foot-5 

Weight: 215 pounds 

Iowa may not need to rely on Howard's scoring off the bench, but they are going to need every single bit of his toughness. There were certainly some growing pains for Howard for the early portion of the season as he adjusted to Big Ten basketball, but he quickly became a great enforcer off the bench. While he's not allowed to be a hockey-type enforcer and hit people every trip down the floor, he certainly did the dirty work - jumping on loose balls, taking charges, and playing tenacious defense. Howard tallied 38 steals last season, which was the second-best mark on the team. 

We'll have to wait until the season starts to confirm this, but if you ask any Iowa player or coach, they'll tell you that Howard has been the most-improved player in summer workouts. Again, we'll see what he can do against a plethora of physical opponents, but expect Howard to be a key hustle player off the bench for the Hawkeyes. 

Year: First 

Height: 6-foot-8

Weight: 202 pounds 

Harris is the wild card of this guard group, but don't be surprised if he can carve out a role for this Iowa team. The buy games are going to tell us a lot about Harris, but the Washington native and former four-star prospect certainly brings a good pedigree with him to Iowa City. Harris averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds per game as high school senior, and he was named the Class 4A State Player of the Year by the Washington  Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association as a result. Harris chose the Hawkeyes over in-state national powerhouse Gonzaga, so that can be a good early sign of his potential in the black and gold. 

Like all freshman, there's been some ups-and-downs for Harris in summer workouts, but it sounds like those are in the past now. McCollum likes Harris' ability to come off ball screens and knock down threes, so maybe Harris ends up being that spark plug. 

Year: Second

Height: 6-foot-2 

Weight: 190 pounds 

McCollum's son took a redshirt year after suffering a season-ending foot injury in January. Peyton never saw the floor last year, so it's unclear what his role can be in 2027, but his father did praise his son's shooting, which he says comes from his mom. 

Year: Third 

Height: 6-foot-2 

Weight: 189 pounds 

Koch, an Iowa City native, is entering his third season as a walk-on. He's one of two holdovers from Fran McCaffery's final team, joining forward Cooper Koch (no relation). 

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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]