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24 Hawkeyes to Watch By James Allan A aron White proved doubters wrong during his first two seasons with the University of Iowa men's basketball program. Now he wants to prove his head coach right. "I had offers, but didn't have any from big schools," said White. "I was looking at Duquesne and Akron, but I always wanted to prove that I could play at this level. Thankfully, Fran McCaffery gave me the offer." "He's on the verge of becoming a superstar," said UI head coach Fran McCaffery. "His game is much more complete, and he's a fierce competitor. He is somebody I think has a chance to be first-team all-league and ultimately play in the NBA." White arrived on the UI campus in the fall of 2011 with an Ohio-sized chip on his shoulder. White, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound junior, believes he is ready to be the player his head coach describes. "He thinks I am ready to be one of the best players in the league and in the country," said White. "That's what I have been working toward. That's what I want to be. I am glad he believes in me, I just have to go on the floor and prove it." That's something White isn't afraid of. He has been proving himself since his days at Strongsville (Ohio) High School. White had a standout prep career, finishing second in career scoring at Strongsville. He was a three-time all-conference; two-time all-district and third-team all-state selection as a senior, and was team MVP as a junior and senior. In the landscape major college basketball, White wasn't seen as a blue-chip recruit. He didn't get the offers he expected. "It came from being under-recruited," he said. "Not a lot of Big Ten schools looked at me, let alone offered me, other than Iowa. I think about that in the back of my mind and play as the underdog. I try to play harder than the guy across from me." White had a memorable first game as a Hawkeye, tallying a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes in a victory over Chicago State, but it wasn't until a road win at No. 11 Wisconsin on Dec. 31, 2011, that he felt comfortable. He made 6-of-7 shots for 18 points in the victory. "The game at Wisconsin was a big memory for me, it was the game that things kind of clicked," said White. "I had struggled in the nonconference and at the beginning of the Big Ten, and that game, it all clicked." White averaged 11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds as a freshman en route to Kyle Macy Freshman AllAmerica and Big Ten All-Freshman team honors. He elevated his game from year one to year two, finishing his sophomore season by averaging 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds en route to third team All-Big Ten honors. White led the Hawkeyes on the glass in each of his first two seasons. 47