What Are Some NBA Draft Highlights For The Iowa Hawkeyes?

When you think of Iowa Hawkeye athletics, you think of football and wrestling. When you think of Hawkeyes alums playing professional sports, you think of guys like Yanda and Brands. Not often do Hawkeye basketball players make the jump to the NBA, but there's something brewing in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Fran McCaffery has sent a player to the NBA in each of the past two seasons in Devyn Marble and Aaron White and will presumably run that streak to three when Jarrod Uthoff hears his name called on June 23.

The Hawkeyes draft history goes deeper than just the McCaffery era, however. Let's take a look at the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NBA.

Active Hawkeyes in the NBA

• Devyn Marble- Marble was drafted with the 56^th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. Marble has appeared in 44 games for the Magic over the last two seasons to the tune of 2.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg and 0.7 apg.
• Aaron White- White was drafted by the Washington Wizards with the 49^th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft. White played overseas in Germany this season for Telekom Baskets Bonn of the Basketball Bundesliga where he averaged 13 ppg and 5 rpg. The Wizards still own his rights and with a strong showing in the summer league, could land on the Wizards roster this season.

Notable Hawkeyes in the First Round

• John Johnson- The Cleveland Cavaliers made Johnson Iowa's first ever first round pick when they took him seventh overall in 1970. Johnson made the all-star team in each of his first two seasons, but never made the team again. He won a championship in 1979 with the Seattle Supersonics alongside former Iowa teammate Fred Brown. He finished his career with 12.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 3.8 apg.
• "Downtown" Freddie Brown- The Seattle Supersonics made Brown the Hawkeyes highest pick ever when they selected him 6^th overall in the 1971 NBA Draft. Brown made the all-star team in 1976 and won a championship alongside John Johnson in 1979.
• B.J. Armstrong- A teammate of Michael Jordan and three-time NBA champion, Armstrong is arguably the most successful Hawkeye ever to make it to the NBA. He was selected 18^th overall in the 1989 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, made the all-star team in 1994 and led the league in 3-point percentage during the 1992-93 season.
• Ricky Davis- Drafted 21^st overall in 1998 by the Charlotte Hornets, Davis was always a talented player, but plagued by plays like this. He played for six different teams in his career, his best season coming during the 2002-03 campaign when he averaged 20 ppg for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Notable Hawkeyes in the Second Round

• Brad Lohaus- Drafted by the Celtics with the 45^th overall pick in 1987, Lohaus played 11 seasons in the NBA for eight different teams. The 6'11 big man's best statistical season came during the 1989-90 season when he averaged 9.2 ppg and 5 rpg for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks.
• Ryan Bowen- Bowen was the 55^th overall selection of the 1998 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He spent five of his 10 NBA seasons with Nuggets. He also spent two seasons with Houston and New Orleans and one season with Oklahoma City.

I would be remised if I didn't mention Reggie Evans, who wasn't drafted, but carved out a solid 13-year career in the NBA with seven different franchises. Evans' calling card was his elite rebounding. He averaged a career-high 11.5 rebounds per game in 30 games for Toronto in 2010-11 and came close to that total during the 2012-12 season for Brooklyn, averaging 11.1 rebounds per game, this time in 80 games. He last played for the Sacramento Kings during the 2014-15 season.

The Iowa basketball program may not be able to hang with the Duke's and Michigan St's of the world when it comes to sending talent to the NBA, but nobody expects them to either. Iowa has consistently sent solid players to the NBA throughout the programs history, sans the Alford and Lickliter eras. Coach McCaffery has the Hawkeyes back on track. The Hawkeyes are putting wins on the board and players in the league once again, and don't expect that to stop this Thursday when Jarrod Uthoff becomes the third Hawkeye in three years to hear his name called under the bright lights of the Barclays Center.