Drake guard Kael Combs commits to transfer to Iowa

Drake Bulldogs guard Kael Combs has committed to transfer to the Iowa Hawkeyes. This comes following head coach Ben McCollum‘s decision to leave Drake for Iowa following the Bulldogs’ NCAA Tournament run.

Combs played his high school basketball at Nixo in Missouri. He was an unranked recruit coming out of high school when he initially landed at Wyoming. After one season with the Cowboys, he made the decision to transfer and landed at Drake.

As a sophomore in the 2024-25 season, Combs appeared in 31 games, all of which were off the bench. He, notably, has started in one game over the course of his college career. That came when he was a freshman at Wyoming.

In his playing time at Drake, he averaged 12.9 minutes per game. He also averaged 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 51.1 percent from the field, 20 percent from three-point range, and 80 percent from the free-throw line. On the defensive end, he averaged 0.4 steals and 0.1 blocks per game.

Drake had an excellent season as a team. The Bulldogs went 31-4 overall and 17-3 in conference play. That earned the Bulldogs a spot in the NCAA Tournament where they were able to upset the Missouri Tigers in the opening round before going out in their second game. In that win over Missouri, Combs had four points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Iowa is coming off a frustrating final season of the Fran McCaffery era. After leading the Hawkeyes since 2010, Iowa let him go following the 2024-25 season. Iowa finished with a 17-16 record overall and a 7-13 record in Big Ten play, missing the NCAA Tournament for a second season in a row. The 12th-place finish in conference play was the worst of McCaffery’s tenure.

Now, the Hawkeyes are hoping Ben McCollum can spark the Iowa program with a rebuild. He’s quickly been active in the Transfer Portal with several new additions coming into the program to flip the roster. This comes after he had an incredibly successful season last year with Drake and previously led his own alma mater Northwest Missouri State at the Division II level. While there, he put together a record of 395-91 and four national championships at that level.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.