IOWA HAWKEYES PLAYER PREVIEWS: ISAIAH MOSS

Isaiah Moss

Bio: Freshman, 6'5", 200 lbs. (Chicago, IL)
Last season: High School (Caring Is Creepy)

What we saw last season: All we saw out of Moss last year is what we heard about his high school career, and while that was relatively unspectacular (10 points, 2 boards, 2 assists per game), he was doing it at powerhouse Simeon HS—the same one where Derrick Rose and metric buttloads of other D-I talent have come from. Moss shined on the AAU circuit, and though Iowa had been recruiting Moss for years—the first power school to do so—it was his breakout performance on the club level that earned him an offer, and earned Iowa the commit over the likes of Iowa State and DePaul. Moss looks like a slasher and finisher, though whether he can perform at the rim against the tall trees of the B1G remains to be seen.

What we need to see this season: Of the bevy of incoming wings, Moss may face the steepest climb to playing time in 2015. Academic issues kept him out of Iowa City for a few months, and while they're not an issue any longer the lost instruction time puts him at something of a disadvantage. He projects as a Devyn Marble type (even wearing Marble's #4), and Fran McCaffery has told him to expect to play at the 1, 2 and 3—where the bulk of Iowa's returning talent lies. That said, versatility is crucial for McCaffery's offense to operate correctly, and if Moss' jumper is consistent enough, he may be too good of a fit to keep off the floor.

Best case scenario: Moss' ability to get to the rack makes him a solid backup option to Peter Jok, and he shows enough giddyup on perimeter defense to work his way into the rotation. He won't start in 2015, barring a scandal that takes half the roster out of action for a prolonged stretch, but the necessity of his presence once the two point guards graduate may persuade McCaffery to put him on the floor in spot minutes if he looks good enough in practice to prove he won't be a liability in Big Ten play.

Most likely scenario: Iowa plans to redshirt at least one player from this freshman class, and for now Moss is a likely candidate. That's not to say his die is cast as the "least" of the freshmen, obviously; he's an important future cog of the offense. It's just tough to see where the minutes will come from that would make using a year of eligibility worth it—especially with how nice it would be to stagger the graduations of this large incoming class.

One request: Defend the point on fast breaks and McCaffery will love you forever, young Mr. Moss.