Iowa guard/forward Tavion Banks declared for the NBA draft on Wednesday and also said he is entering the transfer portal.
Banks indicated that if he is granted a fifth season of eligibility, he would like to return to the Hawkeyes.
“As I explore all options in continuing my basketball career, I am declaring for the NBA Draft, while also entering my name into the transfer portal in the event that a fifth year is granted,” Banks announced on social media. “If a fifth year becomes an option, I want to be a Hawkeye!”
The 6-foot-7 Banks averaged 10.2 points and tied for the team lead of 4.6 rebounds per game for an Iowa squad that advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Illinois. In the second round, Banks scored a team-best 20 points to help the Hawkeyes post one of the more stunning wins of the tournament with a 73-72 victory over 2025 national champion Florida.
Last season was Banks’ first at Iowa. He followed coach Ben McCollum from Drake. Banks averaged 10.1 points and 5.0 rebounds for the Bulldogs in 2024-25.
Banks, who turned 23 on April 1, also played two seasons at Northwest Florida State, a junior college, before transferring to Drake.
While Banks awaits a decision on whether he will receive another season of college eligibility, he is saluting the season he spent in Iowa City.
“Competing as a Hawkeye this past season and helping lead this team to the Elite Eight was an amazing experience,” Banks said. “This was one of the best years of my life and it was everything I could have imagined. I want to thank my family, coaches, teammates and Hawkeye Nation for making this a memorable year in my basketball journey.”
