Hawkeye Beacon can confirm that Iowa sophomore point guard Brock Harding is entering the transfer portal.
A native of Moline, Illinois, Harding finished the 2024-25 season averaging 8.8 points, 5.3 assists and 2.3 rebounds per contest. He led the team in assists per game and total assists (174).
Harding took a strong leap from his freshman campaign to this season, increasing his points per game by 5.4, assists by 2.7 per game and rebounds by 1.7 per game. The 6-foot, 165-pound sophomore also improved his scoring efficiency from year-to-year while also increasing his volume. Harding more than doubled his shot attempts and improved from shooting 36.2% to 45.4% from the field, while more than doubling his three-point attempts as well. His percentage increased from 37.5% to 39.8%
"I trust all the work I've put in," Harding said after posting a career high of 20 points against USC-Upstate at the start of the season. "All the coaches tell me I'm one of the hardest workers they've ever been around. I just go out there and have the confidence I'm one of the best players on the court."
Down the stretch of the season, Harding bounced back after being sent to the bench in favor of senior guard Drew Thelwell. He was integral in the Hawkeyes' final four wins of the season, posting 13 points, seven assists, three steals and four rebounds on the road against Rutgers, 11 points, five assists and four rebounds at home versus Washington, 12 points and four assists at Nebraska and 15 points and three assists in Iowa's Big Ten Tournament win over Ohio State.
None of those points scored were bigger than the triple Harding nailed with 16 seconds remaining against the Buckeyes, extending Iowa's two-point lead to five and sealing the Hawkeye victory.
The three-pointer came after Harding gave away a critical turnover that resulted in an Ohio State mid-range jumper to get the game within two points. Still, Harding launched the shot, unphased by the previous mistake.
"I wasn't surprised," McCaffery said to the media. "Were you?"
As confident as his head coach, Harding said he knew he'd make up for the mistake if given an opportunity.
"I knew it was good," Harding said of the shot. "After the turnover, I knew I would make up for it somehow. I'm just glad it went in."
Harding, who will have two years of eligibility remaining, is the second player to enter the portal, following former high school teammate, Owen Freeman. Stay tuned to Hawkeye Beacon to follow along with portal and coaching search coverage.
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