Video: Highlights from Iowa men’s basketball open summer workout #2
Video: Highlights from Iowa men’s basketball open summer workout on July 15, 2024.
IOWA CITY — Iowa men’s basketball landed its first verbal commitment in its 2026 recruiting class.
Guard Navon Shabazz announced his intention to play college basketball for the Hawkeyes, he announced Monday.
Navon Shabazz 247 ranking
Shabazz is an in-state talent. He recently transferred to Iowa United Prep in Des Moines after previously playing one season for Assumption High School in Davenport. Shabazz’s 247Sports profile lists him at 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds.
Shabazz is unranked both nationally and in the state of Iowa by the 247Sports Composite. He is a 3-star prospect, according to Rivals. It’s also worth noting that Shabazz is only entering his junior high school season.
More on Navon Shabazz
As a sophomore, Shabazz helped lead Assumption to a class 3A state championship. He averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 34% from deep.
Shabazz, who finished with 16 points against Waverly-Shell Rock in the state title game, came up big in crunch time to deliver a 46-45 win for Assumption.
Shabazz’s power-conference offers came in the form of Wake Forest, Iowa State and Iowa. Of that trio, Iowa was the last to offer. Shabazz reported the offer in February of 2024. He had also previously received offers from some lower-level Division I programs, such as Siena, Southern Mississippi and Bryant.
Iowa has landed impactful high school prospects from the state of Iowa recently. The Murray brothers, along with current members of the roster, Payton Sandfort, Josh Dix and Pryce Sandfort played high school basketball in Iowa. Shabazz now adds to the list of players head coach Fran McCaffery has convinced to stay in their home state.
SouthsideHoops wrote of Shabazz: “Navon Shabazz is a dynamic, scoring guard who gets downhill in a hurry and is efficient on rim attacks. Unselfish, has good court vision, and understands when and when not to attack.”
Shabazz is the first scholarship high school prospect the Hawkeyes have landed since Chris Tadjo in September 2023 (this doesn’t include transfer portal or non-scholarship additions). Shabazz is the first member of Iowa’s 2026 recruiting class.
Given that programs are trying to figure out their 2025 recruiting classes, it is still relatively early for the 2026 class to take shape. In fact, Iowa still doesn’t have any commitment in the 2025 class, though they are in the mix for several intriguing prospects.
“We’re on some guys that we really like,” Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said in July of the 2025 class’ potential. “I think we’ll obviously identify. Probably need a guard for sure, maybe two and another big. But it’s a little bit early for that yet. We’ve got some guys coming in for visits set up. Expect typically to get a couple of those guys but you don’t always. Sometimes, they visit three or four schools and go somewhere else. But there’s plenty of good players available. It’s a good class. We’ll get some good ones.”
But even further in the future, Shabazz gets the 2026 recruiting class off to a start for the Hawkeyes.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
