Jaidyn Coon Named 2026 Iowa Mr. Basketball

The Iowa Print Sportswriters Association has named Storm Lake wing Jaidyn Coon Jaidyn Coon 6'7" | SF Storm Lake | 2026 State #154 Nation IA as 2026's Iowa Mr. Basketball. The IPSWA pegged Coon as their choice at their annual meeting on Friday morning.

There were a number of deserving candidates, with this being one of the best senior classes in recent memory, but in the end, it was the Creighton commit who won out.

"It shows all the hard work and dedication I put into this. Winning an award such as this is amazing. I have to give all praise to God as if it weren't for Him blessing me with some of these talents, or people around me, this would've never happened. All praise and glory goes to Him," Coon said.

A four-year starter, he averaged 22.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in his senior season on 53.2% shooting, helping lead Storm Lake to their second straight state tournament and to their first state tournament win since 1980. They fell short in the Class 3A semifinals against ADM, but Coon was tremendous, scoring 36 points with 18 rebounds in a double overtime classic.

A 6-6/6-7 wing who has the type of length and athleticism that is rarely seen in Iowa high school basketball, he burst onto the scene as a freshman, leading the Tornadoes in scoring, and continually improved his game throughout his high school career. For the last two years, he played AAU ball with D1 Minnesota, one of the top programs in the country on the Adidas Circuit, and he picked up a slew of high-major offers with his play. He handles it well, is a gifted three-level scorer and shot creator, and has the ability to be an elite defender with his combination of size, length, and raw athleticism.

For his career, Coon averaged 19.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. He leaves Storm Lake as their all-time leading scorer (1,692 career points) and has helped rejuvenate a proud basketball community over the last four years. "(Helping build) that foundation means a lot because I once was a little kid who looked up to all those athletes, and I wanted to be just like them," Coon said.

He is Storm Lake's first winner of the Mr. Basketball award since it was initiated in 1981.

As he prepares to head to Omaha to play at Creighton, Coon said that he has his sights set on leaving a mark similar to the impact that he made at Storm Lake, "whether that's on the floor or being a role model in the community".