Per an Iowa release, former Iowa City West prep and Belmont center Even Brauns has officially signed with the Iowa basketball program, joining former high school teammate, Patrick McCaffery. Iowa Athletics also confirms that Brauns will be on scholarship.
Brauns entered the portal in March, and Go Iowa Awesome reported on his decision to be a Hawkeye, per a source close to the Bruins' basketball program.
Brauns is a 6'9", 240-pound center who spent the last three seasons with the Bruins. Last season -- his first as a starter -- he averaged 7.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 21.2 minutes per game. Brauns shot 58.3 percent from the floor and 68.9 percent from the free-throw line. He has two years of eligibility remaining, per the University of Iowa.
Brauns is the second transfer big to join the Iowa program this offseason, as the Hawkeyes added Valparaiso center Ben Krikke to the roster as well. Along with Brauns and Krikke, Iowa will have Riley Mulvey and incoming freshmen Owen Freeman and Ladji Dembele competing for frontcourt minutes.
"Getting the opportunity to come home and play for the Hawkeyes is one of the proudest moments of my life," Brauns said in the release. 'I am thrilled to return home and play in Carver-Hawkeye Arena in front of the best fans in college basketball. I am excited to play with my new teammates because there is a lot of opportunity for new faces to emerge in larger roles this year. I am thankful for this opportunity and eager to give all that I have to the University of Iowa."
“We are excited to have Even back home,” Fran McCaffery added. “He was a terrific player at West High School and had an excellent career at Belmont. Even will be a great fit for our program.”
