Expectations for the Iowa basketball team have significantly increased in the past 24 hours. Iowa City celebrated as Hawkeye forward Payton Sandfort revealed his decision to return to the team. Although the announcement came just 90 minutes before the deadline, Sandfort stated on Thursday that the timing wasn’t his fault.
**IOWA CITY, Iowa** — Expectations for the Iowa basketball team have risen significantly over the past 24 hours. Iowa City celebrated when Hawkeye forward Payton Sandfort announced his decision to return to the Hawkeyes. The announcement came just 90 minutes before the deadline, but Sandfort explained on Thursday that the delay was not his fault.
“Most of it was out of my control,” Sandfort said via Zoom. “My Wi-Fi wasn’t working on my plane — it kind of went out. We ended up being in the air longer than expected due to storms. Then I had a five-minute layover, so I didn’t really have time.”
“I literally just posted [my decision] when I landed in Des Moines.”
Sandfort described the experience as one of the best but most stressful of his life. He mentioned enduring an 18-day span of staying in hotels. The Waukee native noted that the travel schedule was ‘no joke’ and matched everything he could have ever imagined.
“It feels like I’ve been on the phone every second I’ve been on the ground, talking with my family, trying to figure it out,” Sandfort said about the past few days. “My gut feeling was always to go back (to college). There was actually a lot of very positive feedback from NBA teams (in) a pick range.”
It wasn’t an easy decision for Sandfort. Many NBA teams expressed interest in having him in their system. However, there were other considerations. Payton’s brother, Pryce, is entering his sophomore year at Iowa, presenting a final opportunity for them to play together.
“I just didn’t know if I could leave behind that feeling of regret of not getting to play with Pryce for a year and not seeing this thing out,” Sandfort said. “Because of what I believe that we’ve helped build at Iowa.”
Sandfort has always been self-aware about his game. He knows that teams view him as the team’s sharpshooter with a lightning-quick release. As the undisputed leader of next year’s team, he received a lot of positive feedback from the NBA and has identified several areas to work on next season.
“A lot of it was centered around athleticism,” Sandfort said. “They know that’s not what’s going to get me drafted or make me special. A lot of it is continuing to shoot—shooting on the move. Obviously, the NBA three-point line is a lot further back, so shooting from deep ranges and being comfortable getting into your shot in different ways is important.”
“The guys in the NBA do it at the highest level in the world, so it’s about continuing to work on that and maximizing my athletic potential.”
Sandfort’s leadership, scoring prowess, and overall impact will be invaluable for next year’s team. While Iowa anticipated last season to be a developmental period, 2024 is set to be different. The Hawkeyes will welcome back Josh Dix, Owen Freeman, Brock Harding, and several other key players, along with newcomers Drew Thelwell from Morehead State and Seydou Traore from Manhattan.
Iowa is expected to improve in rebounding, positional versatility, and defensive upside. However, these pieces will need to come together to create a winning team on the court.
“There’s gonna be so many guys that make huge jumps,” Sandfort said after his decision. “I’m so excited about just being with that team and being able to lead these guys. And coach (Fran McCaffery) is going to have a good plan. I fully trust what we’re going to do. So I think the sky’s the limit. And that’s going to be the goal, and that’s going to be the expectation.”