Iowa men’s basketball adds some “Spanish flair” in Alvaro Folgueiras, a big portal get

IOWA CITY — Iowa has two Division I conference Players of the Year from last season, not an every-year occurrence. Anywhere.

One came to the Hawkeyes well-known in the state. Guard Bennett Stirtz was the Missouri Valley Conference’s Player of the Year (and Most Outstanding Player in the MVC tournament) for new coach Ben McCollum at league-champion Drake.

The other had no connection to McCollum or Iowa, but forward Alvaro Folgueiras was more than welcomed to the Hawkeyes from Robert Morris in suburban Pittsburgh.

“I think the Big Ten is a big place for exposure,” Folgueiras said at Iowa’s media day Wednesday.

“I was pretty comfortable at Robert Morris last year and I was super-comfortable with that, but I pretty much did everything there and last year was historical for the program.

“There’s more pressure (here) and I don’t avoid pressure.That’s why I’m here. I think those new challenges are more attractive.”

Folgueiras had a dynamic sophomore season at RMU, averaging 14.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals for the Colonials. He was named the Horizon League’s Player of the Year as a result.

Robert Morris went 26-9. Like Drake, the Colonials won their conference’s regular-season and tournament championships. As a No. 15-seed in the NCAA tourney, RMU battled Alabama gamely before losing in the first round, 90-81. Folgueiras had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

He’s 6-foot-10, 230 pounds with good shooting and passing touches, and he likes to rebound though he said he isn’t a great jumper. He had 14 points-rebounds double-doubles. He made 45 of 109 3-pointers last season for 41.3 percent. He had five or more assists on six occasions.

Pretty good for someone who was 19.

Folgueiras left his home in Malaga, Spain, to play ball at the DME Academy in Florida, the same school former Hawkeyes/current NBA players Keegan and Kris Murray attended their year between Cedar Rapids Prairie and Iowa. Folgueiras’ brother, Nacho Folgueiras, plays pro basketball in Ireland.

Alvaro had several college offers, but chose Robert Morris because “they wanted me more.” He played in every game as a freshman, starting six. The team went 10-22. He stayed, started all 35 games last season, and what a season it was. He was a much-desired player in the NCAA transfer portal, wooed by Kentucky, Providence and Villanova.

“I chose people when I chose Iowa,” Folgueiras said.

“One thing that made me listen to Coach Mac is he started all the conversations saying all the programs are telling you what you can do for them, and I want to tell you what I can do for you.”

“He could stretch the floor (at RMU),” McCollum said. “He could pass. He could rebound. He could defend. He got a lot of deflections.

“Probably most importantly, he's fiercely competitive, almost to a fault. That's probably his greatest strength and it's also probably his greatest weakness. He’s got Spanish flair, and he's got some flair to his game, which I love and appreciate.

“But we have to harness it and hone it in, and we're getting there.”

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