NY2LA Summer Jam takeaways: Iowa building catalog of 2021 targets; Iowa State positioned well with Luke Anderson

MEQUON, Wisc. — With its group of top 2019 priority targets established, much of Iowa's work this week near Milwaukee has involved identifying talent in the 2020 and 2021 classes.

I wrote yesterday about Chicago four-star point guard Tyler Beard and Minneapolis four-star forward Dain Dainja. On Thursday, I wrote about Pennsylvania four-star point guard Ethan Morton and Milwaukee four-star forward Jamari Sibley.

All are high-level 2020 guys that the Hawkeyes have offered and will seriously pursue.

In terms of 2021, Fran McCaffery and Kirk Speraw have gotten their eyes on several promising prospects here. (Actually, "promising" is an understatement for a few of these players.)

Max Christie, G, (Arlington Heights, Illinois): Iowa offered Christie, a long, 6-foot-5 combo guard, on Wednesday after watching him play up at the 16U level with his Illinois Wolves 2021 team. Christie has all the pieces of a high-major conference perimeter player: He can pass, dribble and shoot; his length is destructive on defense; and he shows promising floor-general abilities running the point. He already holds offers from DePaul, Illinois, Florida, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin, plus interest from Michigan. At minimum, he's a top-75, high-four-star prospect.

"Every offer is amazing," Christie told me. "I’m just grateful for Iowa to offer. They’re a great program with Coach McCaffery, great people. Success. Every college is great — especially Iowa, the Big Ten. I think it’s a great program and a great offer."

Christie said he'd be interested in visiting Iowa this summer or fall — as he would be with any school who wants him to visit.

"I’m just looking at all my opportunities and trying to make the right decision when that time comes," he said.

Up next in Christie's development: Really just overall refinement of his game. There's no significant weak spot right now, other than his wiry frame. That will naturally improve as he gets older and stronger.

Michael Foster, PF/C (Milwaukee): McCaffery and Speraw watched the 6-9 Foster play on Thursday. His coach lists him as a small forward, and honestly, that's not too far off. Foster combines a sturdy frame with an offensive arsenal that extends out to the 3-point line. He was originally committed to Arizona State, but he re-opened his recruitment in June. He currently holds offers from ASU, Bradley, San Diego State, Texas A&M, LSU, UNLV and Milwaukee. I'd be surprised if Foster doesn't have five stars when the first 2021 rankings come out.

Ahamad Bynum, PG (Chicago): McCaffery and Speraw watched Bynum, a well-rounded 6-1 guard, on Thursday when he played up with Mac Irvin Fire's loaded 17U roster. He looked good then; he looks dominant when he plays against his peers at the 15U level. He's explosive, well-built and well-rounded, and he's thought to be the next star in the wings at Simeon Career Academy. Northern Illinois and DePaul won't be his only offers for long. He'll likely be a top-10 point guard in 2021.

Chet Holmgren, PF/C (Minneapolis): Holmgren plays alongside Dainja and five-star combo guard Jalen Suggs on Team Grassroots Sizzle. A skilled, 6-11 big, Holmgren oozes potential, but he can't possibly weigh more than 160 pounds. If he adds a good amount of bulk, he could be special. Texas A&M and Minnesota have already offered, and he's getting plenty of coaches' attention playing on a stacked AAU team. He's still got plenty of room to develop.

Jadin Johnson, PG, (Council Bluffs): This Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln product will be fun to watch over the next few years. He pairs 6-5 length with a smooth game that works wonders in transition. He just knows how to play — good instincts, smart defender. Speraw watched him on Thursday. He doesn't hold any offers yet, but he looks like a top-three kid in Iowa's 2021 class.

Patrick Baldwin Jr., SF (Sussex, Wisconsin): Baldwin screams "future NBA player." He's a skilled, explosive 6-8 forward who can guard positions 1-5 at this level and score from anywhere on the floor. He will be a five-star, top-20 prospect. McCaffery and Speraw watched him several times while they were in Wisconsin. They offered in late June. Baldwin holds other offers from Kansas State, LSU, Arizona State, DePaul, Marquette, Minnesota, Northwestern, UNLV, USC and Wake Forest. 

...

Most of these guys are projected to rank among the elite of the elite in their class. That's the only caveat when looking at rising sophomore targets: There's a reason they're being identified early. These prospects are monumental talents, and blue bloods will be waiting in the wings while high-majors put them on the map. 

Also, the NBA might be rid of the one-and-done rule by 2021. A player like Baldwin Jr. has the tools to go pro after high school, if he so chooses.

Cyclones in good position for Anderson

Iowa State is going about its 2019 recruiting with the goal of landing three recruits. (Yes, Lindell Wigginton is likely to declare for the NBA after this season, but coaches won't actively pursue that fourth spot until Wigginton officially makes his decision.)

The way it's shaking out, the Cyclones will probably look to get two guards and a flexible forward that can stretch out to the perimeter.

One of its top, longtime targets for that forward spot? Luke Anderson, a three-star prospect out of Florida.

Rivals national analyst Corey Evans is in Los Angeles for the Adidas Summer Championship, where Anderson is playing with Team Knight. He reported on Friday that Iowa State, South Florida and Georgia were the three favorites to land Anderson, and that he'll likely take an official visit to Ames in September.

Other names to monitor in Iowa State's pursuit of a stretch forward:

Kai Jones, PF/C (Orlando): The Cyclones aren't deterred by Jones' Kansas or Florida State offers. Assistant coach James Kane has a relationship with Jones from his time at Dayton, and Iowa State will actively recruit the four-star, 6-10 post.

Dontaie Allen, SF/PF (Falmouth, Kentucky): The Cyclones entered Allen’s skyrocketing recruitment last week and will be actively involved here. Allen is a newly minted four-star prospect.

Tom Welch, PF (Naperville, Illinois): Labeled a mid-major prospect for much of his recruitment, Welch recently picked up an Ole Miss offer and other high-major interest. Assistant coach Daniyal Robinson watched a couple of Welch's games in Milwaukee with the Illinois Wolves. The 6-7 stretch forward does well on the glass and can defend 3-5 at this level. If Iowa State chooses to continue recruiting Welch, Prohm will likely want to watch him before extending any offer. And, even if the Cyclones do offer, its timing would depend on other offered targets' timetables. 

Drake's roster creating buzz in Milwaukee

Drake's impressive, on-the-spot rebuild for the 2018 season is catching the eye of Midwest coaches. 

Darian DeVries and his staff have added 10 new players since taking over, replenishing a roster depleted after Niko Medved left for Colorado State. Iowa graduate transfer Brady Ellingson and junior-college transfers Tremell Murphy, Anthony Murphy and D.J. Wilkins headline the new Bulldogs, but coaches here expect big things from UAB graduate transfer Nick Norton, as well.

Several coaches have told me they expect Drake to be competitive in the Missouri Valley Conference this year. Four months ago, that idea seemed far-fetched.

DeVries and Woodley working on 2019

The Bulldogs are still involved with a couple 2018 players, but it's looking like they'll carry their final two 2018 scholarships to what they view as a deep 2019 class.

Coaches are thrilled to have landed Grand View Christian forward Issa Samake; they think he can be special in the Valley.

Woodley has been here near Milwaukee the whole week. DeVries began the week in Los Angeles and is closing his week in Milwaukee with Woodley. Both were courtside on Friday for Bolingbrook (Illinois) product Joseph Yesufu, Drake's top point guard target.

They spent time watching Nate Ferguson, a 6-7 forward with offers from Drake, Southern Illinois, Toledo, Green Bay, Wofford, Milwaukee and Winthrop.

Both were also courtside for a Martin Bros 17U game featuring in-state prospects Cole Henry and Trey Hutcheson. The staff is actively monitoring Henry, the 6-9 Oskaloosa forward who has added offers from Florida Atlantic, Illinois-Chicago and Central Michigan this week. 

Hutcheson held an offer from Medved's staff; DeVries staff has not re-offered at this point. The smooth, 6-5 Linn-Mar wing also holds Division I offers from North Dakota, Air Force and Furman (which have all offered Henry, as well).

Other schools at this game: Furman, South Dakota State, UIC, Green Bay, Loyola, FAU, Illinois State, Albany and Western Illinois.

Matthew Bain covers college football and basketball recruiting for the Des Moines Register. He also helps out with Iowa and Iowa State football and basketball coverage for HawkCentral and Cyclone Insider. Contact him at mbain@dmreg.com and follow him on Twitter @MatthewBain_.