Iowa basketball reportedly targeting UCLA transfer F Berke Buyuktuncel

The Iowa Hawkeyes are still trying to upgrade their roster for the 2024-25 men’s college basketball season.

After adding Morehead State transfer guard Drew Thelwell, Iowa would like to add a forward as well. The Hawkeyes are reportedly one of a handful of teams interested in UCLA transfer forward Berke Buyuktuncel.

CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein shared that Iowa is among a group of schools that includes Nebraska, Virginia, Cincinnati, Washington, Butler, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Kentucky, BYU and Louisville that have contacted Buyuktuncel.

Buyuktuncel just completed his freshman season with the Bruins. The 6-foot-9, 245 pound freshman averaged 4.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Buyuktuncel shot 38.5% from the field, 29.7% from 3-point distance and 62.8% from the free-throw line.

A native of Bursa, Turkey, Buyuktuncel was a regular participant for the Turkish international teams. Buyuktuncel helped Turkey finish in third place at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in the summer of 2023.

In Turkey’s third-place win over the United States, Buyuktuncel totaled 19 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals. He was named to the “All-Star Five” at the FIBA U19 World Cup in 2023.

In seven games in that tournament, Buyuktuncel shot 38.3% from the field, 34.8% from beyond the 3-point arc, and 86.7% at the free-throw line.

In the summer of 2022, Buyuktuncel led Turkey to a second-place finish at the FIBA U18 European Championship. Buyuktuncel was also named to the “All-Star Five” at the FIBA U18 European Championship, averaging 12.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.1 steals in seven games.

If Iowa could pair Buyuktuncel with rising sophomore Owen Freeman, the Hawkeyes would have the beginning of something special inside.

Iowa returns junior guard Josh Dix and sophomore guard Brock Harding and sophomore forward Pryce Sandfort. Standout forward Payton Sandfort could return as well, though he entered his name into the 2024 NBA draft and just received an NBA draft combine invite.

Thelwell, Iowa’s lone transfer portal addition thus far, averaged 10 points, 6.2 assists, 3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. The Orlando native shot 43.5% from the floor and 33.8% from 3-point range.

Iowa also inked power forward Chris Tadjo and small forward Cooper Koch in the 2024 signing class. Koch is a four-star signee, while Tadjo is regarded as a three-star talent per 247Sports.

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Story originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire