Aug. 3, 2026, 4:46 a.m. CT
After being granted a fifth year of NCAA eligibility by a recent court ruling, Tavion Banks announced he would play elsewhere next season, but also took time to thank the loyal and passionate Iowa basketball fans.
The court decision in question came from Judge Charlotte Sweeney of the U.S. District Court of Colorado, who granted a preliminary injunction on Friday declaring all class of 2022 athletes who had exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring eligible for a fifth season this upcoming school year.
Despite the decision to continue his collegiate career outside of a Hawkeyes uniform, Banks expressed utmost gratitude towards the fans’ unwavering support and passion that made Iowa such a special place to him.
“And to the best fan base in the country-thank you for embracing me, supporting me through every high and low, and showing unconditional love from day one. Your energy and passion made every game special, and I’ll never forget what it felt like to wear Iowa across my chest. Much love to you all. Thank you for everything. Forever gratefully,” Banks wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday.
After following head coach Ben McCollum, along with five other players, from Drake to Iowa last season, the Kansas City, Missouri, native averaged 10.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on 52% field goal shooting, 44.2% 3-point accuracy, and 79.2% shooting from the free-throw line in 35 starts across 37 games.
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Most notably, Banks scored 20 points on 7 of 10 shooting in the Hawkeyes’ second-round NCAA Tournament win over top-seeded Florida.
While many Hawkeye fans hoped that the 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward from Kansas City, Missouri, would return to Iowa if granted the extra year, Banks’ impact on the success of the 2025-26 squad and the program’s upward trajectory will not be forgotten any time soon.
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