2026 Recruiting
- Thread starter Franisdaman
- Start date
was not that long ago when paying your players would give you the death penalty. I hope these high spenders fall flat on their face. But I am afraid the big spenders will be in the elite 8 and final 4.
Sad that college sports has gone semi pro
Essentially NIL is creating a semi-pro league for the top 30 schools. The rest of the schools will get rolled every year. We are witnessing the implosion of sports over greed. Once the fans start leaving in droves outside of the top brands because it’s the same every year the whole things falls apart.
Meh, it’s always been this way. It’s just more out in the open now. Major schools have always had an advantage over smaller programs that had to compete against better facilities, bigger arenas, and in many cases actual payment. I don’t see a huge difference today. If anything, the free transfer rule is creating more imbalance than the money ever did.
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Yes,it is.
Just looking at the top 25 in 2026 recruiting classes drives home how deep the waters are that Ben is now swimming in...kind of depressing to see MSU with #2 class, MD at #5, PU at #7
Mich at # 9,USC, Nebraska, Washington,UCLA,oregon all in top 30.
Hate to say it but it is going to take a bb miracle for Ben to leap over all these programs on the hardwood any time soon.
Try hard talent can only take a program so far.
Drake beat Mizzou last season to earn respect
Mizzou has the #1 class coming in 2026.
Money talks.
Michigan State wins because they have great coaching and talent. If Ben can get some higher end kids to buy into the culture and mix with the hard working maybe overlooked kids he will always have in the program I think he can find a way to make this work. He knew what he signed up for stepping into this level after we have NIL and the portal already in place.
Just like in football we have to do things our way and not fret that other programs have more financial resources. That makes it hard to enjoy what we have.
He's just "unranked" in the top 100. Many experts were saying at the time of his commitment he was still criminally under rated, which I totally agree with. I think he has plenty size and even more skill. Will end up being the steal of the class.
You have to ask who the truly great coaches are. Is it a guy with a $20M roster or a guy fielding a team with a a budget that is much less? The playing field is not equal in college sports and really hasn't been for years. Money now comes in the front door instead of the back door.
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Trey Thompson is obviously not ready yet so I am not really expecting Ethan to be that advanced next season beyond Trey this year
Now I realize that Trey is young for his class so might not be a perfect comp.
Hawks should have Folgy,Cooper,Sage, Joey, Trey,at forward next year...playing time could be tough to find for Ethan....but never know
I watched Trey in Des Moines during warmups and the boy doesn't miss.
Very little of the "rev share" if any will come from tickets sales. The $$ will mostly come from the 20-22 million dollars I will get from Tv revenue from the B1G..
They're going to end up with a cap on NIL. If they don't, there will be an even bigger monopoly on talent for the top dogs.
In the same vein, why does it seem everyone has at least one rich alum to throw money around except us?
The cap will only be a suggestion to those who want to cheat. Do you really think they will follow the rules?
I'm not sure, but the only thing I've seen is donations to the football program.
Ethan is a very good defender and can defend 1-4. I expect him to play immediately
It will be interesting to see if Ben shortens the rotation as we get into BIG play.
So far, it seems like koch needs more minutes, at least. Maybe folgy also. And maybe Tate.
Banks and Cam need to play.
Next year subtract banks and add Trey and Ethan...who is losing minutes?
So far, it seems like koch needs more minutes, at least. Maybe folgy also. And maybe Tate.
Banks and Cam need to play.
Next year subtract banks and add Trey and Ethan...who is losing minutes?
Banks may have an additional year of eligibility I believe if he chooses to pursue due to his first year being played at Community college Northwest Florida State.
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I don’t know the details but shouldn’t the AD be out twisting arms to help Ben. Like I said just wondering. As much as I despised Barta the land shark could raise money very bountifully. I know their different rules but are their rules anymore?
I made a suggestion to address what appear to be unlimited funds. What do you suggest?
College athletics cannot survive under rulemaking by litigation. Congress must pass federal legislation that explicitly designates the NCAA as the sole governing authority over college sports, with clear power to regulate athlete compensation, transfer rules, eligibility, and roster controls. Without this, courts will continue to impose inconsistent rulings that turn college athletics into a de facto professional league without collective bargaining or structural limits. Judges are not equipped to design athletic systems, manage competitive balance, or preserve the educational mission of college sports. Governance must be set by law, applied uniformly, and enforced by a single authority, not shaped piecemeal from the bench.
The problem now is structural self-interest. The schools that benefit most from the current chaos have no incentive to support reform because the vacuum of authority works in their favor. By allowing courts and litigation to dismantle centralized governance, the system rewarded the largest programs with leverage, resources, and freedom while smaller schools absorbed the damage. Any attempt at federal reform now faces resistance not just from lawyers or lawmakers, but from institutions that are winning under disorder. Chaos has created winners, and those winners will fight to preserve it. This is why I firmly believe it’s over…
I agree with this. It is a damn shame that it will end up in Congress, if it's not already there now in a Bill. Bad when an institution such as the NCAA can't regulate it.
Jess Settles said he his returning next year
Nothing against this young man, but why more forwards?
This team needs quick, athletic guards and a shot-blocking center for next year.
Kids a shot blocker. He's 6'10--put some weight on him, and he's a springy and athletic rim protector. 247 Lists him as a "C", and he's also in the 2026 class.
Ben is a big fan of his lone signee in the 2026 class, 4-star 6'8" forward Ethan Harris.
Go to the 2:00 mark, where Ben shares why he believes Ethan is a perfect fit for Iowa.
www.on3.com
Go to the 2:00 mark, where Ben shares why he believes Ethan is a perfect fit for Iowa.
Ethan Harris - Camas - Power Forward
Explore Ethan Harris's athlete profile at On3.com. Get news and insights into his playing career, statistics, and achievements in sports.