Patrick McCaffery’s hardship waiver approved by the Big Ten

Iowa Basketball has another notch in the hardship waiver victory column, this time for soon-to-be redshirt freshman Patrick McCaffery.

There was a lot of hype around the younger McCaffery as he joined the squad this season, but the freshman only saw game action twice before complications related to his previous battle with thyroid cancer put him on the bench indefinitely. While thankfully the cancer did not return, the complications did place him on the bench for the remainder of the season.

This approval grants McCaffery four years of eligibility; he joins Jordan Bohannon and Jack Nunge on the list of Iowa players granted an extra year of eligibility after medical hardships. McCaffery was a highly touted recruit coming out of Iowa City West High School, and he will add great depth and athleticism to the squad.

And if you’re worried he looked a little scrawny last season, I think it’s safe to say he’s looking healthy — and a lot stronger — as we enter the summer:

Is that even the same guy? More alley-oops like this next season please, Patrick!