Iowa Makes Early Move for Elite 5-Star Center Bentley Lusakueno as Ben McCollum’s Recruiting Surge Continues

The Iowa Hawkeyes continue to build momentum on the recruiting trail under head coach Ben McCollum, and their latest move shows they have no intention of slowing down anytime soon.

Despite still putting the finishing touches on future recruiting classes, Iowa has already turned its attention to one of the brightest young stars in high school basketball. The Hawkeyes have officially extended a scholarship offer to five-star center Bentley Lusakueno, one of the top-ranked players in the 2028 recruiting class.

The offer represents another bold statement from McCollum, whose aggressive recruiting approach has quickly transformed Iowa into a legitimate contender for some of the nation’s most coveted prospects.

Lusakueno, a standout from Woodward Academy in College Park, Georgia, announced Iowa’s offer on social media, adding another major program to his growing list of suitors.

Standing 6-foot-10, Lusakueno is already considered one of the premier young big men in the country. According to 247Sports, he ranks as the No. 7 overall player in the Class of 2028, an impressive distinction considering he still has two full years of high school basketball remaining.

His combination of size, mobility, athleticism and developing offensive skill set has made him one of the most heavily recruited prospects in his class.

The Hawkeyes now join an increasingly competitive race that already includes Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Oregon. Altogether, Lusakueno has received nine Division I scholarship offers, with more expected to arrive as his high school career progresses.

For Iowa, however, the timing of the offer may prove just as important as the offer itself.

McCollum and his staff have made it clear that establishing relationships early has become one of the foundations of their recruiting strategy. By identifying elite prospects before many recruiting battles fully develop, Iowa hopes to position itself as a serious contender long before official visits and commitment decisions begin.

That strategy has already produced encouraging results.

When McCollum arrived in Iowa City, he inherited a challenging recruiting timeline but still managed to assemble a solid 2025 recruiting class on short notice.

He followed that success by significantly raising the program’s profile in the following cycle, securing commitments from highly regarded prospects Ethan Harris and Jaidyn Coon. Those additions demonstrated that Iowa could compete for nationally respected talent despite facing competition from larger basketball powers.

The momentum continued in the 2027 class when four-star forward Keller Daugherty committed to the Hawkeyes, giving McCollum another important recruiting victory and reinforcing the belief that Iowa’s future is headed in the right direction.

Although work remains to be done in finalizing the 2027 recruiting class, the coaching staff has wasted no time expanding its focus toward the next generation of elite prospects.

Lusakueno represents exactly the type of player capable of changing the trajectory of a program.

Beyond his impressive recruiting ranking, he has already earned recognition on the national stage through USA Basketball.

He was selected to represent the United States on the 2025 USA Men’s Under-16 National Team, an honor reserved for the country’s top young players. More recently, he was named a finalist for the 2026 USA Men’s Under-17 National Team, another indication that national evaluators view him as one of the elite talents in his age group.

Those experiences have allowed Lusakueno to compete against many of the best young players in America while developing under some of the nation’s top coaches.

His continued success with USA Basketball has only strengthened expectations that his national ranking could climb even higher over the next two years.

Recruiting analysts believe his physical development, defensive versatility and offensive upside make him one of the most intriguing long-term prospects in the country.

As more powerhouse programs inevitably enter the race, Iowa understands the challenge ahead.

Landing a player of Lusakueno’s caliber will not be easy.

Traditional college basketball giants are expected to pursue him aggressively, and programs with long histories of recruiting elite talent will almost certainly become involved before his recruitment concludes.

Still, McCollum has already shown that Iowa is capable of competing in recruiting battles that many initially believed the Hawkeyes couldn’t win.

Since arriving in Iowa City, he has built a reputation for identifying talent early, developing genuine relationships with recruits and convincing highly regarded players that Iowa offers a pathway to both individual growth and team success.

Those recruiting victories have steadily changed perceptions surrounding the Hawkeyes’ ability to attract elite prospects.

Offering Lusakueno this early may ultimately become one of the most significant moves of Iowa’s recruiting cycle.

Building trust over multiple years often proves invaluable in modern recruiting, especially with highly ranked prospects whose recruitments become increasingly crowded as they approach graduation.

By making its intentions clear now, Iowa has positioned itself to remain actively involved throughout what is expected to be a lengthy and highly competitive process.

For Hawkeye fans, the offer represents another encouraging sign that McCollum is thinking beyond immediate roster needs.

Rather than focusing solely on the next recruiting class, Iowa continues laying the groundwork for sustained success several years into the future.

Whether the Hawkeyes ultimately secure Lusakueno’s commitment remains uncertain, but one thing is becoming increasingly clear.

Ben McCollum isn’t afraid to chase the nation’s very best talent.

His recruiting philosophy continues to push Iowa into conversations alongside nationally recognized programs, and each new offer reinforces the belief that the Hawkeyes intend to compete at the highest level both on the court and on the recruiting trail.

As Lusakueno’s recruitment unfolds over the coming years, Iowa will face stiff competition from some of college basketball’s biggest brands.

But if McCollum’s recent recruiting success has demonstrated anything, it’s that counting out the Hawkeyes before the final decision is made would be a mistake.

The race for one of America’s top young centers is officially underway, and Iowa has ensured it will have a seat at the table from the very beginning.