​IOWA CITY — Trevin Jirak was one of the best players on the floor during a portion of Iowa men’s basketball practice open to media on Wednesday, July 15.It was just a brief window into the Hawkeyes’ summer workouts, but Jirak was easily one of the standouts.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn one possession, the former West Des Moines Valley star grabbed an offensive rebound and drained a 3-pointer. Jirak converted on just 16.7% from deep during his freshman season, but there is reason to believe he is a much better shooter than that percentage indicates. On another possession, Jirak knocked down a two-pointer from near the baseline out of a pick-and-pop action.Jirak also showed his ability to get to the rim. He salvaged what began as a broken possession by driving down the left side of the lane in a scramble situation, finishing with his right hand. Later, Jirak went off the bounce again, but this time used a crafty spin move to get an edge on Cam Manyawu and finish with a left-handed hook.His versatile offensive skillset at 6-foot-11 makes him an interesting chess piece for the Hawkeyes. On rare occasions during the July 15 practice, Jirak actually brought the ball up the floor, fitting the mold of a “point-forward” or “point-center” as a big man who can facilitate offense like a guard would.“I felt like I played good,” Jirak said. “Didn’t force anything. Kind of made the right plays. Didn’t turn it over. I didn’t want to turn it over. So I was happy about that.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJirak’s playing time was spotty during his freshman season, appearing in less than half of Iowa’s 37 games. But he is one of the many players who could make a jump in head coach Ben McCollum’s second season leading the Hawkeyes.“He went on a diet over the summer,” McCollum said of Jirak. “He’s worked. He’s been in the weight room. He’s been conditioning. He’s been in the gym. He’s already had the skill set, and now he’s moving at a high level… He’s had a great summer.”Iowa center Trevin Jirak dribbles the basketball as Cam Manyawu defends during an Iowa men’s basketball practice July 15, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.Jirak and Saint Mary’s transfer Andrew McKeever played together at points of the July 15 practice. That made for a lineup with tremendous size, considering Jirak is listed at 6-foot-11 and McKeever is the tallest player in Iowa men’s basketball history at 7-foot-3. On top of that, Cooper Koch (6-foot-8) played with that duo, as well, making for a massive lineup.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Hawkeyes simply couldn’t go that big last season. At 6-foot-9, Manyawu did an admirable job holding things down as an undersized “5”, but it was clear that Iowa needed to get bigger, especially after being bashed on the boards by Illinois in the Elite Eight.More: The early impact of 7-3 Andrew McKeever on Iowa basketball | LeistikowThe addition of Mc