Her recruitment blew up last year at Nationals in Chicago.
Iowa WBB 2025 Recruiting Thread
- Thread starter BraydonRoberts5
- Start date
Great photos of our 2025 commits from over the weekend! Show them all some love and give them a follow and a like if you feel inclined.
Hint: If you scroll far enough, you will find a video of Layla surprising the staff with her commitment!
Hint: If you scroll far enough, you will find a video of Layla surprising the staff with her commitment!
Saw the video of Layla a bit ago, Jan’s reaction is priceless.
The pix with the Brazilian flag are especially cool.
That is one big beautiful girl. I think two years with the program she’s gonna be a force. Excited what the future brings for this program. Attendance is going to be crazy for years.
The picture of her with Aaliyah Guyton holding the Brazilian flag is interesting. Guyton's mother was a four time olympian playing for Brazil. Interesting link between the two young ladies. Also like the picture of Fernandez with members of the team.
She looks good on her tape, aggressive, mobile, hit some three’s too
From the Gazette:
6'5" post Layla Hays’ mind was made up well before she stepped on the plane for a 5-hour flight to the Midwest.
“I’ve known for a while now that I was going to commit” Hays said via phone call Monday afternoon.
“But since I was granted a 2nd visit (due to Iowa’s recent coaching change), I was going to use it to surprise them.”
“They have had a place in my heart since my first visit. The way the coaches develop posts ... I was looking for a family, and I found it at Iowa. I feel like I connected with (Coach) Jan (Jensen) so well.”
The Full Story:
6'5" post Layla Hays’ mind was made up well before she stepped on the plane for a 5-hour flight to the Midwest.
“I’ve known for a while now that I was going to commit” Hays said via phone call Monday afternoon.
“But since I was granted a 2nd visit (due to Iowa’s recent coaching change), I was going to use it to surprise them.”
“They have had a place in my heart since my first visit. The way the coaches develop posts ... I was looking for a family, and I found it at Iowa. I feel like I connected with (Coach) Jan (Jensen) so well.”
The Full Story:
This interview reveals just how mystifying the recruiting process can be. Back on Sept 20th I posted a query as to her standing with the Hawks: no recent articles or posts aside from one that said she was down to 8 teams, which was more teams than she had offers from when she visited us earlier. Also saw she had taken quite a few other visits. I thought she was probably heading anywhere but Iowa. And then she says she knew she was going to commit before she even came! Crazy! Just remember how this unfolded with prospects in the future.
Quick question regarding her being ranked #68 overall but the 2nd rated center (espn shows 3 centers total for the top 100). Is that a one year artifact/sample size kinda thing or the way it usually is?
If not- Is it related to the meta changes in basketball with wings/forwards (i.e. 3 point emphasis, 3 and d wings, stretch the floor, etc)? Are centers harder for scouts/writers to grade/evaluate or under-appreciated by those doing the rankings? Are some players classifying as forwards who would previously had been centers? I'm really curious if anyone has thoughts or explanations on it.
Posted this elsewhere last week:
Compared to the classes of 2015-24, and also the class of 2026, the 2025 post/center group has both the fewest top 100 members, and the lowest rated top posts. Most years the top post is a top 15 player, and frequently a top 10 player. This year, no post cracks the top 50.
Wonder if the paucity of posts in the '25 class is impacting Hays' recruitment and ratings. Of course, some of this may be position labeling, labeling certain players as forwards, rather than posts. Still, using ESPN's position labels, the '25 post group is out of step with ESPN's norm.
| Post Recruiting | # in ESPN Top 100 | Top 3 Rank |
| 2015 | 16 | 8, 11, 20 |
| 2016 | 15 | 13,16, 17 |
| 2017 | 12 | 18, 25, 35 |
| 2018 | 16 | 5, 7, 8 |
| 2019 | 18 | 3, 14, 15 |
| 2020 | 11 | 5, 16, 26 |
| 2021 | 9 | 13, 21, 39 |
| 2022 | 13 | 1, 5, 10 |
| 2023 | 12 | 4, 7, 14 |
| 2024 | 6 | 5, 28, 31 |
| 2025 | 3 | 56, 68, 72 |
| 2026 | 7 | 5, 25, 26 |
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I think Layla has kept things very close to the vest. If you watched the video of her telling Jan she was going to be a Hawk, Jan was totally shocked and surprised. The sweatshirt she wore, had to be made before she left Alaska. So her family knew and hid it well.
The next great one at Iowa...
Her and Hays should be a pretty darn good combo the next few years.
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Don’t count J Houston out. She is VERY good. she must be 100% by now I would think. She may need a little work, but she’s for real seen her many times. Solid player.
Not much feedback on Alves-Fernandez visit since the pictures. Anyone know who else she is visiting and timeline.
I wonder if the climate change is a tough sell for Alves-Fernandez (Brazil/Florida), but never know how recruits feel about that in their priorities. Just that, she may have never experienced a midwest winter. ???
Alveolar-Fernandez has to know if she wants to play in the WNBA or overseas, the weather will be different.
Two and three. The only weakness I see with Houston is her three-point percentage. She needs to get that up. You might wanna have Tom Paris give you his take on it. He’s been around her more than I have probably and he’s done some coaching.
She is 100% not a 1. She could guard 2's depending on the match up but doesn't have the offensive game yet or didn't pre injury to project there currently. She's a 3-4 in my opinion. Was starting to develop her perimeter game, handle, etc when she went to AIA.
When was her injury? Is she on schedule to play HS ball this season? If so, I plan to try to catch a few of her teams games.
She has a final 5.. she visited them all in this order:
Louisville
UNC
Illinois
Miami
Iowa
She is definitely not a PG.
She will be good to go for the season. She had a weird knee injury late last season.
I think Houston will be a three mostly in college, may be a four at times. Inside 17 feet she’s a Baller. She has a very quick first step and can draw the fouls and she is a great finisher. She also rebounds well as she seems to get off the floor quicker than anybody. But let’s remember that’s high school hopefully she can do the same in college. But she is damn good in the paint. she stays healthy this year her rankings will get better. I think she’s going to have a great season.
New article out about Addie Deal 10/29/24
Hot takes:
“Just seeing the girls and seeing the culture that they brought, how they cared about each other on and off the court, that really drew me in even more than the coaching staff,” Deal said. “I already loved the way they played basketball. And when I saw in-person how much of a family culture it was, that’s when I was like ‘Oh my gosh, I can really see myself here.’”
“Addie is the ultimate teammate,” Wynn said. “Addie is someone that everybody loves, that everybody trusts, that everybody respects … She plays both sides of the ball with purpose, intent, and energy. She’s fun to play with.
“She’s extremely talented and not cocky or arrogant at all,” Wynn added. “She just plays the game with joy, passion and a lot of energy … And I think because of who she is as a person is why she’s such a great teammate.”
“I love the way that they play — very fast, very up-tempo, a lot of good shooters,” Deal said. The beautiful thing is Deal fits into that very mold, constantly looking for an open shot and taking it confidently when she finds it. Her footwork gives even the most persistent defenders a challenge staying in front. “I always had said that she would fit in beautifully with the style of play that Lisa coaches,” Wynn said.
“I got to know [Jensen] really well [through the recruitment],” Deal said. “It speaks volumes about how Jan took over the position, and not a single person has transferred out. Not a single commit has decommitted. I think that just shows how amazing she’s going to be and how much we trust in her and believe in her.”
dailyiowan.com
Five-star Iowa women’s basketball commit Addie Deal remains fully committed to Hawkeyes
With Jan Jensen taking over, Deal is fully invested in the program.Hot takes:
“Just seeing the girls and seeing the culture that they brought, how they cared about each other on and off the court, that really drew me in even more than the coaching staff,” Deal said. “I already loved the way they played basketball. And when I saw in-person how much of a family culture it was, that’s when I was like ‘Oh my gosh, I can really see myself here.’”
“Addie is the ultimate teammate,” Wynn said. “Addie is someone that everybody loves, that everybody trusts, that everybody respects … She plays both sides of the ball with purpose, intent, and energy. She’s fun to play with.
“She’s extremely talented and not cocky or arrogant at all,” Wynn added. “She just plays the game with joy, passion and a lot of energy … And I think because of who she is as a person is why she’s such a great teammate.”
“I love the way that they play — very fast, very up-tempo, a lot of good shooters,” Deal said. The beautiful thing is Deal fits into that very mold, constantly looking for an open shot and taking it confidently when she finds it. Her footwork gives even the most persistent defenders a challenge staying in front. “I always had said that she would fit in beautifully with the style of play that Lisa coaches,” Wynn said.
“I got to know [Jensen] really well [through the recruitment],” Deal said. “It speaks volumes about how Jan took over the position, and not a single person has transferred out. Not a single commit has decommitted. I think that just shows how amazing she’s going to be and how much we trust in her and believe in her.”
Five-star Iowa women’s basketball commit Addie Deal remains fully committed to Hawkeyes
Former Iowa women’s basketball head coach Lisa Bluder may have put down the clipboard, but five-star prospect Addie Deal never wavered on her decision to become a Hawkeye. Deal, a combo guard, is the top-ranked player in California by ESPN and is playing at the prestigious Mater Dei High School...
dailyiowan.com
I already think Addie Deal will be one of our absolute favorite Hawks to wear an IA uniform. Talent, a team first attitude, and servant leadership will take her, everyone for that matter, very far in life,New article out about Addie Deal 10/29/24
Five-star Iowa women’s basketball commit Addie Deal remains fully committed to Hawkeyes
With Jan Jensen taking over, Deal is fully invested in the program.
Hot takes:
“Just seeing the girls and seeing the culture that they brought, how they cared about each other on and off the court, that really drew me in even more than the coaching staff,” Deal said. “I already loved the way they played basketball. And when I saw in-person how much of a family culture it was, that’s when I was like ‘Oh my gosh, I can really see myself here.’”
“Addie is the ultimate teammate,” Wynn said. “Addie is someone that everybody loves, that everybody trusts, that everybody respects … She plays both sides of the ball with purpose, intent, and energy. She’s fun to play with.
“She’s extremely talented and not cocky or arrogant at all,” Wynn added. “She just plays the game with joy, passion and a lot of energy … And I think because of who she is as a person is why she’s such a great teammate.”
“I love the way that they play — very fast, very up-tempo, a lot of good shooters,” Deal said. The beautiful thing is Deal fits into that very mold, constantly looking for an open shot and taking it confidently when she finds it. Her footwork gives even the most persistent defenders a challenge staying in front. “I always had said that she would fit in beautifully with the style of play that Lisa coaches,” Wynn said.
“I got to know [Jensen] really well [through the recruitment],” Deal said. “It speaks volumes about how Jan took over the position, and not a single person has transferred out. Not a single commit has decommitted. I think that just shows how amazing she’s going to be and how much we trust in her and believe in her.”
Five-star Iowa women’s basketball commit Addie Deal remains fully committed to Hawkeyes
Former Iowa women’s basketball head coach Lisa Bluder may have put down the clipboard, but five-star prospect Addie Deal never wavered on her decision to become a Hawkeye. Deal, a combo guard, is the top-ranked player in California by ESPN and is playing at the prestigious Mater Dei High School...
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