While football season is in full swing, it doesn’t mean we can’t dabble in some basketball prep ahead of the first tip-off on November 3rd! Next up is second year center, Trevin Jirek!
#27 – Trevin Jirak, C, 6’11” 249 lbs
2nd year; West Des Moines, IA; Valley
2025-26: 17 games, 3.4 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 47.4% FG, 16.7% 3P, 70.4% FT, 8.1 MPG
When Jirek committed to Iowa in April 2025, the Hawks were getting a winner (3 straight state titles) and well-regarded in-state prospect as the 2025 Iowa Mr. Basketball.
But he was a bit of a project, as his decision to head to Iowa usurped his commitment from Northern Iowa.
At the time of his commitment, he was the tallest player on the roster… a position he held once the dust settled on Ben McCollum’s first season of roster building. Cam Manyawu & Alvaro Folgueiras performed well, on balance, throughout last year but Jirek was simply too young and underdeveloped to move the needle consistently.
Despite key minutes in Iowa’s second round victory against the stout frontline of Florida, it looked like a lost season of eligibility before offseason changes allowed for the “5 in 5” rule for his college career to extend through 2030.
In his freshman season, he reached 9+ points three times throughout the non-conference slate. He wasn’t afraid to shoot it from 3, though he went just 3/18 from deep. But really, the story on Jirek is his ability as a passer. He can operate from the top of the key, as he taps into the guard skills he developed before a huge growth spurt early in his high school career. He finished last season with 19 assists and 16 rebounds to give a sense of where his skills currently reside.
His role in this season was most directly impacted by Andrew McKeever’s arrival. It gives him a longer runway to develop in Ben McCollum’s offseason strength & conditioning to become a Jokic-lite player.
In these highlights from a 2025 game against Waukee Northwest, Jirak shows the passing with a full court outlet a la Kevin Love and some adept transition defense to go with his ability to score. With the extra year, it gives him another season to continue developing athletically and become a key piece for future teams.
