Since arriving as the head coach of the University of Iowa, Fran McCaffery has made keeping the best talent home and playing for the Hawkeyes.
On Monday, he did just that by landing a verbal commitment from Navon Shabazz, a 6-foot-3 guard from Davenport, IA. The Class of 2026 prospect is considered by most experts to be one of the two or three best players in his class in the state of Iowa.
Shabazz gave his verbal pledge after making an unofficial visit this past Friday to the Iowa campus. He was impressed with the coaching staff, led by Fran McCaffery and their vision for his future. He also saw the team chemistry as being a key selling point for his future with the Iowa program.
He recently moved to the Des Moines area for his junior year to play at the Iowa United Prep School, which is in its first full year of operation. At Iowa United, he will be coached by former Hawkeye Dean Oliver, who took over that position this fall.
What is Iowa getting in Shabazz?
Last season he helped to lead Davenport Assumption to a state title and did so playing a combo guard role.
First off, he is a high IQ basketball player who can either play off the ball or with the ball in his hands as a scorer or creator. Off the ball, he is excellent at spotting up and last season he made 34% of this attempts from beyond the arch. Overall, Shabazz averaged 14.7 points per game for the Knights.
One underrated skill for Shabazz is his ability to rebound the basketball. He averaged 4.7 rebounds per game last season and he excels in pushing tempo off the glass and either creating an opportunity for his teammates or getting to the rim for his own shot. Last season he averaged 3.1 assists per game at Davenport Assumption.
On the other end of the floor, Shabazz has a chance to be an excellent on ball defender at the college level. He has good quick feet and hands that allow him to cause problems for opposing guards. In the state title game this year, he had a steal in the final seconds to seal the win for the Knights.
