Leistikow: 5 takeaways from a confident Iowa basketball team's summer practices

IOWA CITY — As Iowa basketball fans watch Keegan Murray become a lottery pick in the NBA Draft, there might be thoughts of dismay. After all, Murray pieced together arguably the best single season by any Hawkeye player, ever. An astounding school-record 822 points, a Big Ten Tournament record for scoring and consensus all-American status were just some of the super sophomore’s accomplishments.

And now, he’s gone … along with a program legend in Jordan Bohannon, who left with the fourth-most 3-pointers in NCAA history and as Iowa’s No. 3 all-time scorer.

But here come the newer, longer Hawkeyes — who just might comprise the most unique roster of the 13-year Fran McCaffery era.

The Hawkeyes began organized summer practices last week, and they arrived with a lot of confidence in what they can become post-Keegan/Jordan in the 2022-23 season.

Seven of Iowa’s 11 scholarship players conducted media interviews over the past two weeks, and a 30-minute portion of practice Tuesday was open to the media.

Here are some of the takeaways.

Resist the idea of comparing Kris Murray to his identical-twin brother, Keegan.

June got off to a great start for the Hawkeyes, as Kris decided to return to Iowa for his junior year. He was seeking a first-round guarantee in the NBA Draft. He almost got one. That is a perfect outcome for the Hawkeyes, who justifiably can expect Keegan’s left-handed brother to be a star in 2022-23.

But as their father, Kenyon, explained on our Hawk Central radio show June 1, Kris is his own man and a different kind of player. Look for Kris to average somewhere in the neighborhood of 18-19 points a game (Keegan was at 23.5 last season).

“I love my boys to death, but the truth is what the truth is,” Kenyon said. “(Kris) has always been a better rebounder than Keegan. I think those numbers may be better (Keegan was at 8.7 last season), and I think his assist numbers may be higher.”

Kris should be able to play the 4 (power forward) position almost exclusively next season, but he can also drop to the 3. He was a former point guard at the DME Academy in Florida during a prep-school year. So he can handle the ball and might not have as many 20-plus scoring nights as Keegan as he looks to create opportunities for others.

“He’s probably a better shooter than Keegan (who hit 66 3-pointers last season at a 39.8% clip), just as far as a pure stroke goes,” starting forward Patrick McCaffery said. “It’s going to happen because they’re identical twins, people are going to pin them against each other. I don’t want that to happen because at the end of the day, Kris is his own person."

This is going to be a long and athletic team.

Fran McCaffery has never had a point guard like Dasonte Bowen at Iowa before. The true freshman probably needs to add some muscle but he looks rangy, athletic and can shoot. That was evident during the open portion of practice. Between he and junior Ahron Ulis (both 6-foot-3), the Hawkeyes will have length and athleticism at the point.

“He’s good at getting downhill, great shot,” Ulis said of Bowen. “It’s nice seeing him in the gym, getting the work in. I think that’s the most important thing coming into college, just knowing that you’ve got to put the work in.”

Toss in walk-on Amarion Nimmers, who has the best vertical jump on the team by three inches, and this crop of point guards certainly has a new feel.

Iowa lost two short players in Bohannon and Joe Toussaint (transfer to West Virginia). Both were 6-foot, at best. Now it’s unlikely there will ever be a time when the Hawkeyes have a player below 6-3 on the floor in a meaningful situation.

Just how freakishly long is this team? Sophomore Payton Sandfort, to his own disbelief, grew an inch this offseason and is pushing 6-8. He’s a shooting guard/small forward. Iowa could go 6-8, 6-9 and 6-9 at the 2 through 4 positions, all with the ability to be pure 3-point shooters.

“The way our system works, we can throw out 6-7, 6-8, 6-9 across the board and kind of run with it,” Sandfort said. “When we run in transition, we’re kind of position-less.”

Added Patrick McCaffery: “That fits our play style, a lot of long, athletic guys who can do a lot of different things with the ball, do a lot of different things defensively. Switch it up, play man, play zone, press. There’s a lot of different ways we can go, and a lot of different options we can throw out there.”

Can more length equal better defense?

Absolutely.

Of course, Iowa fans will believe it when they see it.

But 6-4 shooting guard Tony Perkins, whose entry into the starting lineup midway through last season proved to be a much-needed spark, thinks this could be a great defensive team despite losing the team’s two top players in steals in Toussaint (51) and Keegan Murray (45).

“Most definitely. We’re all capable, quick guys,” Perkins said. “We can most definitely switch, one through four.”

Perkins is a terrific and willing defender. Kris Murray can guard any position. The point guards have the athleticism you want to see. Don’t forget, 6-5 Connor McCaffery will have a full basketball-only offseason for the first time in his college career. Maybe a major step forward on defense (Iowa finished No. 80 in KenPom adjusted defense last season) is realistic.

After Iowa’s transfer-portal whiff at the 5, what’s the plan?

Riley Mulvey played a total of 80 minutes and attempted 12 shots last season. But Mulvey, a 6-11 sophomore, looks to have taken a big physical jump forward. Teammates have seen evidence in practice that he's poised for a breakout season. If he can be a capable complement to expected 5 man Filip Rebraca (the 25-year-old Serbian), the Hawkeyes just got longer at that position, too.

The 1 and 5 positions are Fran McCaffery’s biggest question marks. A Mulvey emergence would be huge for this team and allow Perkins, Sandfort, Murray and the McCaffery brothers to thrive at the 2 through 4 slots.

“Me, Josh (Ogundele) and Filip didn’t prove ourselves enough to be a strong 5 man (last season),” Mulvey said. “Now that (Fran McCaffery) didn’t get one (in the portal), we’re going to have to prove ourselves to be able to take the spot.”

Who makes up for the lost 3-point production?

Iowa set a school record last season with 331 3-pointers (the old record was 300, in 2016-17). Four players attempted at least 100 3s and another (Sandfort) tried 93. Losing Bohannon (455 career 3-pointers, by far the most in Big Ten history) and Keegan Murray leaves a major void from behind the 3-point line.

Cue Patrick McCaffery on the plan to replace 993 points via the 3 ball.

“No. 20 (Sandfort) is going to make a lot more 3s. A LOT more 3s,” McCaffery said. “I don’t know how many he made last year (34), but he’ll probably triple it. I’ll make more 3s (than 33). Kris will make more 3s (than 43). Tony will make more 3s (than 17).

“Maybe we won’t make as many as we did last year, I don’t know, but I don’t think we’re going to be short on guys who can make 3s.”

Perkins said his right shoulder, which has bothered him since high school, is 100% after an offseason of motion exercises, stretching and massages.

“More consistent, more confident, shooting from deeper,” Perkins said. “Everything’s clicking.”

Don’t forget, Connor McCaffery got insanely hot during a late-season stretch.

This team should be really interesting and a lot of fun. The schedule is tough, including a Duke matchup on Dec. 6. But the players are confident in what they can do. After a 26-10 season and a Big Ten Tournament championship, they believe they’ll be a very good team once again.

“The Big Ten Tournament, the last couple games (vs. Indiana and Purdue in Indianapolis) were basically road games,” Sandfort said. “So we feel like we can pretty much handle anything that comes our way."

Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has covered sports for 27 years with The Des Moines Register, USA TODAY and Iowa City Press-Citizen. Follow @ChadLeistikow on Twitter.