By Tyler Devine

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Finally, some good news for the Iowa men’s basketball team.

North Dakota big man Filip Rebraca announced Thursday that he will transfer to Iowa.

“This has been probably the hardest choice probably in my life so far,” Rebraca said. “When I was coming out of high school I didn’t have these options that I have right now. The reason I chose Iowa is because of their combination of their culture, the coaches, the team, everything like that. Coach McCaffery and his staff were so genuine. They talked about not only the team goals for Iowa but they also talked about my personal goals and how they wanted to develop me as a player.”

@IowaHoops pic.twitter.com/ZwouFQUFjj

— Filip Rebraca (@FRebraca) April 22, 2021

The news comes days after it was announced that guard C.J. Fredrick will transfer from Iowa.

Center Jack Nunge also announced at the end of March his intention to transfer to Xavier.

The 6-foot-9 Rebraca chose Iowa over offers from Minnesota, Wichita State, South Carolina and Tulsa, among others.

Iowa hopes that Rebraca can help to fill the void left by Nunge and National Player of the Year Luka Garza, who has moved on to pursue professional basketball.

“They developed a player into the two-time Big Ten Player of the Year,” Rebraca said. “Seeing what he has achieved at this program just makes you believe that you can do that as well. I’m not saying I’m Luka Garza, I’m far from that. But it gives a goal in your mind that it is possible. Anything you set your mind to you can achieve.”

The Hawkeyes also announced Tuesday that high school big man Riley Mulvey signed with the squad.

Mulvey was originally committed to Iowa’s 2022 recruiting class but reclassified and will join fellow 2021 signee Payton Sandfort on campus this summer.

Rebraca comes from basketball stock. His father Zeljko Rebraca was a second-round pick in the 1994 NBA Draft and played six seasons between the Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Clippers.

Last season at North Dakota, Rebraca averaged 16.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while shooting 50.6% from the field.

He is from the same town as Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.