2025 Tampa small forward Joshua Lewis commits to Iowa
By Hawk Fanatic
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa men’s basketball team is struggling on the court with three straight losses, but that doesn’t seem to be hindering Fran McCaffery’s recruiting efforts.
Iowa has received a verbal commitment from 2025 small forward Joshua Lewis, who is from Tampa, Florida.
“I’m going to be taken my talents to Iowa City,” Lewis said on the 247Sports You Tube channel.
Louis, who is listed at 6-foot-7 and 180 pounds, is ranked as a four-star recruit by Rivals, On3 and 247Sports.
He picked Iowa over a list of schools that include Marquette, Michigan State, Auburn and North Carolina State.
Lewis recently took a recruiting trip to Iowa City and what he saw and heard made a strong impression.
“Just going on my visit and getting to meet everybody, I just got a great feeling from everybody, all the players, all the coaching staff. It seems like some genuine people,” Lewis said. “And the culture they have over there is real genuine. They’ve got a real culture over there and a great fan base from what I saw. And I love their play style. I feel like I would fit in great with just the way play and with the great group of guys that they have.
“So, I’m just super excited.”
Lewis had previously committed to South Florida this past May, making him the highest ranked recruit in program history based on his No. 38 national ranking by On3.
However, Lewis de-committed from South Florida in November, and just days after South Florida head coach Amir Abdur Rahim had passed away due to complications that occurred during a medical procedure.
Lewis posted on X that Rahim’s sudden death was a devastating blow to Lewis, and to his family.
He then re-opened his recruitment and that is apparently when Iowa made an impression.
“After everything that happened with Amir, it was a tragic situation and it really took a toll on me,” Lewis said. “But I feel like it’s just helped me mature as a person and given me more motivation to become great in the long run.”
Asked to describe his playing style, Lewis said:
“I feel like I’m a long, athletic wing guard that can really do everything, pass, dribble, shoot and defend at a high level and rebound the ball and block shots, too. I feel like I can do everything on the floor at a high level.”
Lewis is the third member of the 2025 class to commit to Iowa, joining 6-10 Badara Diakite, who is from West Hartford, Connecticut, and 6-8 forward and Indianapolis native Dezmon Briscoe.
Iowa also has added 6-7 Miami (Fla.) transfer Isaiah Johnson-Arigu to the roster. Johnson-Arigu entered the transfer portal shortly after Jim Larranaga announced in late December that he was retiring immediately as the Miami head coach.
Johnson-Arigu is from Minneapolis and he was recruited by Iowa in high school,