Payton Sandfort Trusts Gut in Big Decision

Iowa Standout Discusses Return to Hawkeyes

Mar 2, 2024; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes forward Payton Sandfort (20) celebrates the win against the Northwestern Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

It’s always been about gut feelings, Payton Sandfort said.

And while he was flying all around the nation during the NBA draft process, the Iowa forward knew he had a choice to make about whether to chase a professional path or go back to the Hawkeyes for his senior season.

The gut feeling won out.

“It’s kind of what I’ve always done in my career, and it’s helped me with the best decisions,” Sandfort said on Thursday, a day after withdrawing from the draft and choosing to come back to Iowa.

Sandfort had spent the last month trying out for various teams and going through the NBA’s Draft Combine in Chicago. He was projected as a second-round pick by many mock drafts — one even had him as a late first-rounder before the Combine.

Instead, he’ll be back with the Hawkeyes, getting to play with his brother Pryce again and his younger teammates who weren’t satisfied with last season.

“There was a lot of very positive feedback from NBA teams with a pick range, and stuff like that. You just kind of go with a feeling,” Sandfort said. “I just didn’t know if I could leave behind that feeling of regret of not getting to play with Pryce for one more year, and not seeing this thing out of what I feel we’ve helped build at Iowa.”

Sandfort, Iowa’s leading scorer last season, was coming off the best season of his career. He averaged 16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while shooting 44.6 percent from the field. He was a 37.9-percent 3-point shooter on his way to being a third-team All-Big Ten selection.

But Sandfort chose the NBA draft process while maintaining his college eligibility. It’s been a test other Hawkeyes have made in the past, a chance to gain feedback from professional teams.

Sandfort worked out for the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics before the Combine, then with the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors before concluding his tour with a workout for the Utah Jazz on Wednesday afternoon.

Sandfort, who posted his announcement on social media less than two hours before the deadline to withdraw, said the lack of internet access on his two flights home kept him from making the announcement sooner.

It was the final travel lesson for Sandfort.

“I think it was really an eye-opening experience,” he said. “I learned a lot of very valuable things, met a ton of really cool people along the way. The travel was really no joke.You’re going city to city for about a month. I think I was in a hotel room 18 or 19 straight nights. It was a ton of fun, learned kind of what it takes to be a pro. I felt comfortable making the jump, but at the end of the day I just felt the pull to come back home.”

Sandfort said he appreciated the feedback he received from teams.

“A lot of it was centered around athleticism,” he said. “They know that’s not what’s going to get me drafted, they know that’s not what makes me special. A lot of it came down to shooting on the move. Obviously the NBA (3-point) line is a lot farther back. So, shooting from deeper ranges, being comfortable getting into your shot a lot of different ways, which I’ve prided myself on being able to do that. But at the end of the day, you can always improve.”

Sandfort said the various workouts taught him a lot.

“Being comfortable in your own skin is probably the most important thing I learned,” he said.