Iowa Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2023-24

Power Forward

Starter – Payton Sandfort (28 mpg)

Payton Sandfort is another returner who should play a big role in the Hawkeyes’ success this season. He showed good strides in Iowa’s exhibition tour this past August, averaging 19.0 ppg and 11.0 rpg and knocking down a team-high 12 3-pointers across their three wins.

He was last year’s Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year for Iowa after posting 10.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg and 1.5 apg on 34.3 percent shooting from deep across 33 appearances and just seven starts in 2022-23. He went off for 22 points on sux made 3-pointers back on Feb. 25 in a win over Michigan State. With starter minutes, He seems poised to break out in more ways than one as a presence in the Big Ten ranks this year.

Bench – Even Brauns (12 mpg)

Even Brauns joins the conference after spending the past three seasons with Belmont in the MVC and formerly of the OVC. He put up 7.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.4 bpg and 1.2 apg in 2022-23. He finished second in the MVC in blocks (42) and ninth in offensive rebounds (60). He’s a two-way paint presence who should provide support in a variety of ways for the Hawkeyes’ frontcourt given his production in the painted area.