Ben McCollum and the Iowa Hawkeyes might be missing out on one of their major targets.
Belgian forward Thijs De Ridder has been linked to the Hawkeyes this offseason. McCollum has been on the heels of the big man but he is reportedly heading elsewhere.
Spanish reporter Chema de Lucas reported De Ridder will be attending Virginia. Iowa was in the mix for De Ridder along with Providence, Kansas State, and UConn.
De Ridder has been part of Spanish team Surne Bilbao Basket in the Endesa League. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 11.6 points and 5.6 rebounds this season. He shot 58.5% from the field and 30% from three-point range. De Ridder has also been apart of the Belgium National Team.
McCollum was tasked with rebuilding the Iowa roster upon taking the job. He brought Drake transfer Bennett Stirtz, Kael Combs, Isaia Howard, Tavion Banks, and Cam Manyawu with him. He also recently landed Kansas State sharpshooter Brendan Hausen and Robert Morris transfer Alvaro Folgueiras.
McCollum led Drake to the NCAA Tournament after a 31-4 record. The Bulldogs advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before being eliminated. McCollum was then hired by Iowa in late March. It was a six-year deal for McCollum with $3.35 million in guarantees, according to The Athletic.
The Hawkeyes finished the season with a record of 17-16 and 7-13 in the Big Ten. Iowa missed out on the NCAA Tournament after an early exit in the conference tournament.