Connor McCaffery A Coach in Waiting

Calculating Connor McCaffery's worth as a basketball player is no easy task. He's a jack-of-all trades and master of some? That might work. 

Iowa Basketball's sixth-year senior celebrates his second Senior Day ceremony Sunday when the Hawkeyes play host to Nebraska (1 p.m. CT, B1G Network). It's the final game of the regular season. 

McCaffery, 24, will be playing his final game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. He could someday be back as a coach. That won't be for awhile if it happens. 

His father, Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery, agrees with his oldest child. Connor should leave the Hawkeye basketball nest after the season and experience other coaching approaches and ideas. Find out what level of the game he most enjoys. 

Whatever happens and wherever Connor ends up, he'll already have left a positive mark at Iowa. Not everybody gets it. A box score is only so big. 

The ride has been bumpy at times. The serious stuff was out of his hands. 

He has few regrets, if any. He's not playing the what-if game. He feels it a waste of time. 

Connor is enjoying this final chapter of his college playing career, his game better than it's ever been. Last Saturday's improbable comeback against Michigan State will be special forever. 

Iowa's first Sweet 16 run since 1998-99 next month would be a fitting end for Connor, who's always been driven by winning. His high school career at Iowa City West is highlighted by his teams being unbeaten at home. 

"I've been a glue guy at different points of my career," he said. "You do whatever you can to help your team win - rebounds, defending, assists, steals, scoring - whatever the team needs in that point of the game. And that's what I always try to do." 

LET'S PLAY TWO

Succeeding as a two-sport, Power 5 college athlete these days might be harder than ever before. Specialization makes each activity a year-round venture. 

Connor McCaffery gave it a go, arriving at Iowa in the '17 recruiting class. His first semester was dedicated mostly to Iowa Baseball but he also practiced basketball. It was more than he anticipated, especially when considering his academic dedication. 

"I thought I knew what to expect coming in but I really had no idea," Connor said. "The learning curve was tough at first, but it really helped me adapt to college in the long run because I was kind of living in chaos."

Severe health issues then entered the picture. They began with an ankle injury that sidelined him for the season's first two games. During that time, he tested positive for mononucleosis. Then came strep throat and tonsillitis.

Around Thanksgiving, he was rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night, unable to swallow but also vomiting. He was hospitalized for two days but bounced back for his college basketball debut in early December. Then his throat began hurting again.   

Two days after Christmas he returned to the hospital for an emergency tonsillectomy. He was recovering at home when on New Year's Eve he woke up spitting blood, resulting from the tonsillectomy not being fully healed. He needed surgery again. 

He red shirted in both sports that first year. He had no choice. 

Connor made the dean's list in the Tippie College of Business for the Fall semester despite the illnesses. He's earned academic all-Big Ten honors four years running and twice been a Distinguished Scholar in the conference. 

McCaffery could have competed in both sports that first year if healthy. That he didn't was OK in hindsight.  

"That was just unlucky, timing wise, missing (basketball) games and practices when I couldn't afford that after Fall (baseball) put me behind in basketball. But if that didn't happen, I wouldn't be on this team today," he said. 

McCaffery started 22 baseball games as a redshirt freshman in '18-19, playing both corner outfield spots and first base. D1Baseball.com rated him the seventh-best draft prospect in the Big Ten and the 231st-best prospect nationally. 

It would be his only college campaign on the diamond, however. Covid-19 canceled the '20 season and hip surgery wiped out '21. At that point, he turned complete focus to basketball. 

While he avoids what-ifs, he does wonder how good he could have become as a full-time baseball player. Even in high school, he missed important workouts for basketball. 

"I was pretty good with only playing not even half the time, but it wasn't like I was home eating potato chips and playing video games. I was playing basketball," he said. 

"Baseball is probably the sport where I got short-changed a little bit more, if we're being completely honest. Not saying I don't love baseball, but I've always favored basketball a little bit more. I don't regret it. It's who I am."

COACH'S KID 

McCaffery has experienced the drawbacks of being the Iowa head coach's son in a state without major pro sports. Opposing student sections rode him in high school. Internet critics have taken shots at him since he's been a Hawkeye.

It irked him years ago. He sometimes responded. Those days are gone. 

"I used to wonder why I had to prove myself more than others. I think that bothered me," he said. 

"There are always going to be trolls or fans that just don't care. As I've gotten older, it just doesn't bother me. I don't need to prove anything to anybody at this point. And that's been the case for a long time."

McCaffery contributed off the bench as a redshirt freshman in '18-19, finishing second on the team in assists. During the next two seasons he started all 62 games Iowa played, leading the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio as a sophomore and finishing fourth in that statistic while a junior. 

He managed success through injury. Torn labrums and impingements in both hips required surgery. He also was dealing with back pain. 

It led to him mostly contributing in a reserve roll for the Big Ten Tournament champions last season. He played hurt for about half of it. That's why he delivered his best basketball down the stretch. 

He began this season coming off the bench. He moved into the starting lineup 19 games ago, replacing younger brother, junior forward Patrick McCaffery, who took a mental health pause in early January. 

Connor is averaging a career-high 6.6 points in 30 minutes a game. He leads the team in assists (104 with 26 turnovers), ranks second in steals (39), third in three-pointers made (36) and he chips in 3.9 rebounds a game. He defends multiple positions.. 

"He's always been a leader and a coach on the floor," Iowa City West coach Steve Bergman said. "The intangibles for him are off the charts. He guards centers. He guards point guards. People don't get it. As a coach, that's invaluable." 

McCaffery uses lessons learned to his advantage. He calls it craftiness, knowing what he can get away with on the court. He has a knack for recognizing what's required for victory. 

The Hawkeyes have had potent scorers during his career, including national player of the year, Luka Garza, a Top 5 NBA Draft pick in Keegan Murray and the school's all-time leader for made three-pointers in Jordan Bohannon. Connor McCaffery knew where those three vastly different teammates liked the ball and set them up. 

"Scoring is the most important part of the game, but you don't have to score to be successful. Not everybody can score. There needs to be a guy in there that isn't trying to shoot and score," he said. 

"If I'm trying to get buckets, that wouldn't have worked. The whole vibe would have been thrown off and people don't understand that." 

Garza, from Washington, D.C., attended prep all-American camps with McCaffery as a member of the same recruiting class. They've remained friends ever since.

"It's hard for me to say any of my teammates have played as hard as me or harder. Connor is probably the only one I can say that about," said Garza, Iowa's all-time leading scorer. "He's a master of the little things, and his knowledge of the game is so far above a lot of the competition. That's why he will make a coach. He understands what doing anything to help the team win means." 

His 149 field-goal attempts this year put him on pace for his most in a season (160 in '19-20). This team needs his scoring more than the others. 

McCaffery's 34.0 percent shooting on three-pointers ranks as third best among the top six Hawkeyes in trey attempts during '22-23. He credits a healthy offseason and a higher volume of shots for an increased success rate. If the team was best served by him shooting less, he'd be all for it. 

"My dad has always said my best attribute is engineering a victory. That's one I try holding closest to my chest and take pride in," Connor said.

McCaffery won more than 90 games and lost less than 10 at West High. Iowa was 108-53 overall and 62-31 in Big-Ten play during his almost five seasons in the lineup, the Hawkeyes four times finishing in the conference's Top 6 with a good chance to do so again.

"Connor is easily the best post-entry passer I've ever played with," said Garza, currently in his second NBA season. "He always understood the angles, but most importantly he understood his big. He knew where I liked the ball, where T.C. (Tyler Cook) liked the ball, where Kris (Murray), Keegan (Murray), Filip (Rebraca) liked the ball. 

"He also has an unbelievable trust in his bigs because he understands getting the ball down there gives us the best chance to score most of the time. With me, Keegan and Kris, it was easier said than done, but he always found a way to put the ball in the perfect spot."

BIG BROTHER

Connor and Patrick room with Rebraca and another teammate, Luc Laketa. The brothers spend a lot of time together. 

"It's great," Connor said. "We haven't gotten into a fistfight, where we both were hitting each other, since maybe, like my freshman or sophomore year of college." 

Brothers will be brothers. Connor and Patrick are closer now than ever before, Patrick's illnesses certainly impacting the relationship. 

He defeated cancer when he was in junior high. Complications from the disease have altered his Iowa career. He's struggled with mental health, which sidelined him for nine games this winter. 

Connor supported his brother through all of the adversity. It's made him a better person. 

"You learn to be more caring, more supportive, more compassionate to everyone, a brother or family member but also to a friend or a classmate or a teammate," he said. "I try to watch over other people. He's priority No. 1 as my brother but I'm able to use that in my relationships with others as well."

Patrick feels thankful for the support. He looks up to Connor. 

"He's always been a role model and always been there for me," Patrick said. "Our relationship has evolved, too. When you're younger, you talk about basketball. Now we talk about serious things like politics or doing taxes, grown-up stuff." 

They're enjoying what's likely their last stretch as teammates. 

"The first game I step on the floor without him next year is when it will really hit," Patrick said. "He'll be watching and he'll only be a phone call away, but it won't be the same." 

FUTURE IN COACHING

Connor McCaffery is enjoying activities these days that he couldn't fit into his schedule as a two-sport athlete and dedicated college student. He works out, plays video games, goes to movies and hangs out with friends. 

"I just have a lot more time to be more chill. I've enjoyed that, but I also miss the chaos to a certain extent. It was fun. I learned a lot and I learned it fast because that was the only way I was able to adapt," he said.

The down time is winding down. After the season, he'll figure out where his coaching career will start. It would have to be a perfect situation to continue playing professionally. 

Truth be told, the coaching actually started when he chose to watch basketball film with his father as a kindergartener. They disagree about basketball sometimes these days, like coaches analyzing and working through strategy do on occasion. 

"I think he sees the game differently than most. He grew up in the gym, in the locker room, at games, played it his whole life. He's pretty confident in what he's saying. Normally we see the game pretty much the same way," Fran McCaffery said.

That's why they agree Connor seeing other coaching perspectives away from Iowa is best. 

"There are a lot of different ways to do this job, different philosophies," Fran said. "It's important to learn as much as you can, as you progress in the profession. I'm excited for him to go on that journey and continue to learn."

He earned two B.A. degrees during his time at Iowa, one in Finance from Tippie, the other in Political Science. His mother, Margaret McCaffery, hoped  he might follow one of those paths professionally. 

A former Notre Dame hoops standout, Margaret shares her son's love of basketball. As a coach's wife, she's wary of job stress. 

"Selfishly, that's why I didn't want him to go into coaching," she said. "It's excruciating to watch my husband. I don't anticipate it will be way better watching my son." 

Ultimately, she wants for Connor what she wants for Patrick, daughter, Marit, and youngest son, Jack - To be happy doing what they love. She knows that's basketball for her oldest. 

"There are great things about (coaching) and tough things about it. I look forward to him discovering all of that. And we'll be there to support him no matter what he does," Margaret said.

Connor appreciates his parents' support. 

"I have great relationships with them," he said. "I'll go to them for different things. They're different. It's usually when something is bothering me. Sometimes you just need to vent." 

Chances are good the advisory sessions continue when he coaches. He's already prepared for chaos.