Boilermakers Country

Big Ten Daily: Iowa Star Joe Wieskamp Elects to Keep Name in the 2021 NBA Draft

Iowa's Joe Wieskamp and Nebraska's Dalano Banton have each elected to forgo any further season in college basketball to pursue the 2021 NBA Draft. Also, Penn State football earned a commitment from the nation's No. 2 JUCO prospect. Here's the latest from around the Big Ten.

D.J. Fezler

With less than a week before the deadline to withdraw from the 2021 NBA Draft, many college players are making a call about their future. For some, it's better to return to school, but Joe Wieskamp is taking his chances at the professional level. 

Jon Rothstein reported Friday afternoon that the Iowa basketball star intends to keep his name in the NBA Draft, forgoing his senior season with the Hawkeyes. 

During the 2020-21 season, Wieskamp averaged 14.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while the Hawkeyes earned an overall record of 22-9. He also shot better than 49% from the floor, including 46.2% from the 3-point line.

The Hawkeyes' stellar season was good enough to make the NCAA Tournament with a No. 2 seed. However, after a first-round victory, Iowa was sent home at the hands of Oregon. 

In three seasons at Iowa, Wieskamp played in 97 games and averaged 13.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest during his career. He was a two-time All-Big Ten selection and was named to the All-Freshman team.

Wieskamp was one of 15 players in program history with over 1,250 points and 550 rebounds. 

Penn State Earns Commitment From No. 2 JUCO Prospect

JB Nelson, a 2022 junior college football prospect with the second-highest rating in the nation, is headed to Penn State. He committed to the Nittany Lions on Friday in a Tweet below. 

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Nelson chose Penn State over multiple offers, including Maryland, NC State, West Virginia and Ole Miss. The Lackawanna Community College offensive tackle has a three-star rating, according to 247Sports. 

After visiting Penn State, Nelson decided to commit to the program. He is a native of Pittsburgh, so he will have an opportunity to play close to home when he arrives on campus. 

The 6-foot-6, 310-pound lineman is the third member of the Nittany Lions' 2022 recruiting class that will play along the offensive front. Penn State's 2022 class, which now has 13 players, is ranked No. 8 in the country and No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference. 

Nebraska's Dalano Banton Elects to Stay in the 2021 NBA Draft 

Another Big Ten prospect has also elected to keep his name in the upcoming NBA Draft. Nebraska guard Dalano Banton, who boasts a 6-foot-9 frame, will look to take his talents to the professional level. 

According to reports, Banton impressed scouts at the G-League Camp and his Pro Day in Chicago last week. He played just one season at Nebraska after transferring to the program from Western Kentucky. 

Last season, Banton averaged 9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. With his size, he'll look to use his versatility at the guard position to earn playing time at the professional level. 

Even after his departure, the Cornhuskers boast a solid incoming recruiting that includes five-star guard Bryce McGowens. The team's recruiting class ranks No. 17 in the country and No. 3 in the Big ten, according to 247Sports. 

Recent Stories From Boilermakers Country 

  • BIG TEN DAILY, JULY 2: Nebraska is paying former athletic director Bill Moos nearly $3 million in a retirement settlement, Penn State football a finalist for 2022 four-star athlete Cam Miller and Illinois basketball's Edgar Padilla Jr. the first Fighting Illini athlete to sign NIL deal. CLICK HERE
  • KOFI COCKBURN ENTERS TRANSFER PORTAL: Illinois center Kofi Cockburn is in the transfer portal. As of now, he hasn't yet withdrawn from the NBA Draft, but there's no guarantee he'll stay with the Fighting Illini should he return to college basketball next season. CLICK HERE
  •  STEFANOVIC JOINS VIDSIG: Purdue guard Sasha Stefanovic joinned VIDSIG as part of a NIL deal providing live online chat sessions and personalized video messages. averaged 9.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game during the 2020-21 season. CLICK HERE 
  • SMELTZ EARNS ALL-DISTRICT HONOR: Purdue redshirt sophomore pitcher Jackson Smeltz recorded 22 strikeouts and allowed just 12 hits in 13 games. He also boasts the Boilermaker pitching staff's highest grade-point average. CLICK HERE 

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D.J. Fezler
D.J. FEZLER

D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball. 

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