Iowa Hawkeyes get one of their top recruits in program history with the commitment of 4-star SF Joshua Lewis

Four-star small forward Joshua Lewis, ranked No. 63 in the ESPN Top 100, was one of the top uncommitted prospects in the Class of 2025. On Thursday, he ended the suspense by announcing his commitment to the Iowa Hawkeyes, becoming one of the program's highest-rated recruits.

Lewis' commitment came at the expense of other top college programs, including Auburn, Marquette, Michigan State, NC State, USF, Cincinnati, Ole Miss, Illinois and Virginia Tech. He had earlier announced that Auburn, Marquette, Michigan State, NC State and Iowa were his final choices.

Interestingly, Lewis had initially committed to USF but decided to decommit in November following the tragic loss of the program's head coach, Amir Abdur-Rahim, who passed away due to complications during a medical procedure. In a heartfelt social media post, Lewis expressed his sadness over the unimaginable loss and announced his decision to reevaluate his future plans.

"The unimaginable loss of Coach Amir was a devastating blow to me and my family as well as Bulls Nation. With a heavy heart, I have been contemplating my future since that tragic day."

"The extensive discussions with my parents about the uncertainty of the next few months, and hours of self-reflection have forced me to reevaluate my plans for the near future. At this time, I have decided to decommit from USF and reopen my recruitment."

The Iowa Hawkeyes had been in contact with Joshua Lewis before his initial commitment to USF. Following his decommitment, they immediately reached out to him.

Joshua Lewis, who is currently one of the Howard Blake High School team captains, has been a top performer this season, helping the team to a 17-3 record. He currently averages 17.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

"It's all about the vision, winning games, and reaching my NBA dream": Joshua Lewis on choosing Iowa

Speaking on his decision to commit to Iowa, Lewis expressed that he considers Iowa a great platform where he can have fun enjoying the game of basketball while pursuing his ultimate dream of making it to the NBA.

"It's all about the vision and just what's best for me. I'm trying to go somewhere, win games, and just have fun playing. Have fun, and make it to the NBA. That's my big dream, and I feel like Iowa also is a great platform. They can help me get there in the long run."

After his visit to Iowa this January, he expressed a genuine interest in the program. In an interview with 247sports, he shared his positive impressions of the players and coaching staff at Iowa, as well as his admiration for the team's culture, fan base, and playing style:

"I just got a great feeling from everybody, all the players, all the coaching staff. Seems like some genuine people. They've got a real culture over there, a real great fan base from what I saw. And their play style, I love their play style. I feel like I would fit in great with the way they play and the great group of guys that they have."

In addition to Lewis, the Iowa Hawkeyes have secured commitments from 6-foot-10 center Badara Diakite and 6-foot-8 power forward Dezmon Briscoe, both Class of 2025 recruits.