WBB: 2026 Transfer Portal

[Inthesystem]

This is what happened with Jada Williams, according to someone who is dating one of the players on the Iowa WBB team. Jan and Raina wanted Jada. She visited. Numbers were discussed. When you visit during portal season, you basically get an offer, so yes, she received an offer.

However, the girls on the team did not feel she was a team player and it was communicated to the captains (Kylie F and Taylor S) that they didn’t feel comfortable with her joining. Many of them had casually encountered her in AAU and reportedly some parents weren’t into the idea either.

So the captains told Jan that and Jan listened to her players, pulling the offer after what she thought was a good visit. I’m sure she would have loved to sign Jada, Iowa was desperate for a PG and JW is the kind of athlete Jan is trying to increasingly target. But her loyalty is to her team.

Idk that Jada would have chosen Iowa over ISU (I know she was friends with Addi, I don’t believe she had a real relationship with anyone at Iowa).

So they played themselves as it turned out.

 

[jcisuclones]

Assuming that we drop down to 2-3 returning players and Bill is gone, the future of ISU WBB is a major concern. But assuming that Bill's entire staff leaves, the silver lining that we may no longer have to listen to Jamie Steyer Johnson do radio.

I can see this. I have had this feeling that Bill wanted to see out Audi's class and then call it a career. Kind of hard to recruit a whole new class and commit another 4 years.

And definitely agree on Jamie Steyer Johnson. I don't mind Noah Wolf, but it's hard to listen to a broadcast where the color commentator does nothing but whine about the officials.

 

[isufbcurt]

If you pulled your head out of your own ass you’d know I’ve written on multiple occasions about the problems with Fennelly. But some of you can’t bother to read. My comment just made the point that money makes the job much easier. Duh, of course you still have to coach. But take a good coach and give him top players and he or she will have greater success.

We had top players this year but coaching failed them. This year's massive underachievement had ZERO to do with money.

 

[t.m.]

Walters next year

“Comito dribbles it up. Passes it to Comito who looks left, drives right and kicks it to Comito in the corner. Pump fake, Comito puts up a layup! It misses! A lot of contact but no call! But Comito gets the board! Kicks it out to Comito! THREE! That makes it Baylor 64, Iowa State 3 heading into the half”

Until Coach is fired/retires, then she is free to go too

 

[BCClone]

Technically, correct. But there is NIL money that comes from the school and there is endorsement money that comes from endorsing a product.. We need different names for them, but sadly endorsing a product is an NIL but there are two batches of NIL money.

The schools portion is profit sharing. The money outside is NIL. Until we get the hole filled in the budget. The school will not be giving out NIL on their side

 

[ISUCubswin]

Remember when Bill proudly told the world, multiple times, that before the UNI game, when it was announced Audi was out, he told Addy that she had to take at least 20 shots or the whole team would run as a consequence?

I’m curious how teammates felt about that

 

[cmhawks99]

Assuming this injury isn't a chronic thing (she was clearly not close to 100% after coming back from it this season), Addy would be the best player on a lot of major-conference rosters.

Absolutely!! Shell go P4! Lots of teams will be interested in her.

 

[Buckminster]

Remember when Bill proudly told the world, multiple times, that before the UNI game, when it was announced Audi was out, he told Addy that she had to take at least 20 shots or the whole team would run as a consequence?

I’m curious how teammates felt about that

The problem the last decade or so has been "star worship" vs. team. When one star goes down, another star must be found. Contrast that to TJ's men team.

 

[CRAZYGREG]

If you pulled your head out of your own ass you’d know I’ve written on multiple occasions about the problems with Fennelly. But some of you can’t bother to read. My comment just made the point that money makes the job much easier. Duh, of course you still have to coach. But take a good coach and give him top players and he or she will have greater success.

Cussing at other posters... classy

 

[cmhawks99]

Eye is in the beholder. Clearly you and her don’t value having a true Alma mater
for life to come back to, being in record books, being an all time beloved player at a great women’s basketball supportive school. Again if this is Bill being the problem I support her leaving as I called out. But this is women’s basketball and as good as she is is not moving the needle at a title contender, so I guess if she wants to hop on to one to say she won fine. We need to either say the coach is the problem or we can’t be truly competitive in this sport I’m afraid.

Meh…that’s a fan thing. In particular “certain fans” it’s not a real thing to the majority of fans and it’s definitely not to the kids nowadays

 

[OWLCITYCYFAN]

This too shall pass...

Though many didn't want to admit it and couldn't help but cling to the past, this program has needed change for some time. Power corrupts, the natural order of progression was delayed and the whole thing had to burn down before we could start over.

If nothing else, ISU WBB fans are loyal. We'll field a team next season and fans will file into Hilton to support them in large numbers. It's 154 miles from my front door to Hilton, straight down I-35. I'm 90% certain I'll be purchasing a pair of season tickets in 2026-2027.

Pollard acted decisively when Campbell departed and I'm hoping he acts decisively now. The timing is actually good. Let stick with the "rise from the ashes" theme and go strong after Kayla Karius, HC of the UWGB Phoenix.

Here's a list of the Women's Basketball Coaches "30 Under 30". Shayna Gore at Youngstown State is an up and comer - she beat Izzy Zingaro and Cleveland State a couple times this season, which is how I came to know of her. https://wbca.org/news/2026-thirty-u...rgan-stanley-global-sports-and-entertainment/

Anyway, we're not just going to be fine, we're going to be better! "You have my promise, and when I go to Spain, I chase the bulls."

 

[cmhawks99]

As long as no WBB players end up at EIU I'm fine. Audi has turned down multi million dollars offers of NIL because they don't fit her values. This decision will be a basketball one not a chase the money venture.

Her “values” off the top of your head. What are those? And who offered her money that didn’t fit her values?

 

[Clone5]

This has to be so awkward for Pollard.

 

[cmhawks99]

Iowa offered her a lot more money than we did. She thought playing with AB and AC was a better chance to win or play.

lol…absolutely no ability to prove that

 

[cmhawks99]

Iowa didn't offer her a scholarship let alone money.

Well to be fair, that’s just typical fan stuff, I’ve seen Iowa fans try to rationalize things that way as well… Remember, at the end of the day both these fan bases are Iowans and although it’s unpopular in both fan bases, they react, rationalize, finger point and blame in all the same manners.

 

[DGC]

Bf stays. Fills out a roster by grabbing girls from the rec center who will play for him for a pair of Nike’s and some Jimmy John’s. Goes 22-8 mid seed in both tournaments, and people think he is a hero…. Kidding (kinda)

 

[isucy86]

Assuming that we drop down to 2-3 returning players and Bill is gone, the future of ISU WBB is a major concern. But assuming that Bill's entire staff leaves, the silver lining that we may no longer have to listen to Jamie Steyer Johnson do radio.

Why would the future of ISU womens basketball be a major concern?

This is the portal era with rev share & NIL. A coach can rebuild from basically an empty roster. It's pretty much the rule. And a lot of coaches prefer having a blank slate to set their culture and have their type of players.

When Bill leaves, its going to be about JP hiring the right coach. He does that and there is no reason ISU WBB should take a step back for more than a season.

 

[cmhawks99]

They had Jada in for a visit, but didn't offer a scholarship?

Just as much reality to that as some random fan saying Iowa offered more money…

 

[cmhawks99]

Blum said Iowa offered her more money than us.

He knows as much as me. & you

 

[cmhawks99]

"Iowa spent 3 times the amount on WBB than ISU" Brent Blum
Delude yourself all you want howk fans.

We are learning, keep showing us….

PS…, I went to Iowa State too, so I know you’re probably struggling putting the pieces together… But that is mutually exclusive to offering more money to Jada…just stating the obvious