By Tyler Devine

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Carter Kingsbury could have played college basketball on scholarship.

Instead, he elected to attend his father’s alma mater as a preferred walk-on.

Carter Kingsbury announced his commitment to Iowa on Saturday and will be on campus this fall.

Kingsbury said it was a relief to find a home with many teams focusing more on the transfer portal to fill out their rosters.

“To find a home to be at for this season with the transfer portal is one thing,” Carter Kingsbury said. “But having it be where my dad went to college makes it even better. When I was offered a preferred walk on spot from the coaches there it was a big relief.”

Blessed to announce that I will be continuing my academic and basketball career at the University of Iowa. I want to thank my family, coaches, and God for getting me to this position. Go Hawks!🐤 #GodIsGood pic.twitter.com/XDwIDiEo6v

— Carter Kingsbury (@CarterKingsbury) July 10, 2021

Kingsbury’s father, Chris Kingsbury, was a McDonald’s All-American in high school and played at Iowa from 1993-96.

Chris Kingsbury, who was known for his deep range as a shooter, averaged 12.6 points per game during his Iowa career and was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 1995. He holds Iowa’s single-season record for made 3-pointers with 117.

The 6-foot-5 Carter Kingsbury, a native of Ponca, Neb., spent a post-graduate year at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire.

“The coaches at Iowa made it clear that they would take care of me while I’m there,” Carter Kingsbury said. “Obviously, working towards a scholarship is something I want to do, and they said they’d help me out whether I earn one at Iowa or another school. I knew they want what’s best for me.”

Chris Kingsbury called Iowa coach Fran McCaffery for help in getting his son in contact with a college program, and McCaffery was more than willing to help.

That was good, because Northeast Nebraska is fairly isolated from the rest of the basketball recruiting world and the COVID-19 pandemic threw things off even more.

“I had never spoken to him before,” Chris Kingsbury said. “But the appreciation he had for me from 20 years ago never even knowing me, then his interest in helping was so relieving for me. It was nice to feel that. Obviously, I follow the Hawks, I continue to be a Hawkeye basketball fan. I was born in Omaha, so the Huskers are still kind of my football team, but we’ll see how that goes over the years.”

Carter Kingsbury said his father played a major role in his recruitment.

“My dad was obviously working with me the most figuring out what was best for me,” Carter Kingsbury said. “And he helped get in touch with Iowa in the first place. It will be great to get up to Iowa City with him.”

Carter Kingsbury said he hopes to be able to wear his father’s No. 14 at Iowa.

Carter Kingsbury is not the only Hawkeye legacy on the team.

Twins Keegan and Kris Murray, whose father Kenyon Murray played with Kingsbury at Iowa, are sophomore forwards.

Chris Kingsbury said he’s excited for his son, and Iowa City, which he has visited only once since he left.

“It’s awesome,” Chris Kingsbury said. “These decisions are tough, and COVID made it even tougher. He’s been patient through it. For him to be able to go back there and play there – whether that one year, three years, five years – whatever that looks like for him, it’s great for me to know that Fran is going to take care of him. Then, it’s going to be good for me to have an excuse to get back there.”