"Putting in work while rest of the world sleeps"- Bo Bassett issues powerful message as he shows his dedication to the sport following Iowa commitment

Bo Bassett has issued a powerful message to express his dedication to the sport. Known as the nation’s top-ranked prodigy in the Class of 2026, Bassett announced his commitment to the Iowa Hawkeyes on February 4, 2025.

After choosing the University of Iowa over Penn State, Oklahoma State, and Virginia Tech for his academic and athletic career, Bassett has shown a glimpse of his commitment to the sport as he prepares for his training by waking up early at 4:57 AM.

Take a look at the Instagram story as he wrote a powerful message:

"Discipline kicks in when motivation fades. 5 AM - putting in the work while the rest of the world sleeps,” the 2021 U17 World champion wrote.

Screenshot of Bo Bassett’s Instagram story. Credits - Instagram/bo.bassett

He reflected on his decision just before making the announcement, sharing what led him to commit :

“This decision was not easy for me, and it was a long process. In the end, it didn’t come down to my choice, my parents’ decision, or the opinions of my coaches or teammates. For me, it came down to my faith and where God wants me to be. That is my greater meaning, the center of my life and I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be,” he said (2:55.06 onwards).

With this, Bo Bassett is set to start his collegiate career under Iowa wrestling head coach Tom Brands, who has been leading the program since 2006.

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Bo Bassett reveals his all-time favorite wrestler

Spencer Richard Lee at Paris Olympics. (Photo: Getty Images)

During his appearance on episode No. 433 of The Bader Show uploaded on January 22, Bo Bassett revealed that his all-time favorite wrestler is Spencer Lee. Bassett shared that he has admired Lee, a three-time NCAA and Big Ten champion in the 125 lb since his pre-teen years, saying:

“I gotta go Spencer Lee. That's my guy. I've looked up to him since I was young. There's a picture where I am maybe 12 years old, maybe younger, probably like 10, 11. And he was a junior, senior in high school and we trained for those years in the Young Guns room. He's a great role model. Then, he's still obviously a great role model,” he said (35:09 onwards).

Bassett also shared how he had the opportunity to wrestle with Lee during his visit to the university. In addition to Lee’s achievements with the Iowa Hawkeyes, the 26-year-old won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics after a close 4-2 loss to Japan’s Rei Higuchi in the men’s 57kg freestyle wrestling final.