Peter Brand

The Iowa men's basketball guards may not be familiar with the 2011 sports drama starring Brad Pitt, but they'll become familiar with one of its key storylines during the '26-27 season.

In the film, Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane, Pitt, and assistant, uh, Peter Brand, played by Jonah Hill, attempt to replace departing stars, not with individual superstars, but by recreating their collective production.

Their philosophy, build a star in the aggregate.

The Hawkeyes will embrace a similar philosophy in replacing star guard Bennett Sturtz, who led the team with 19.8 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game before being selected in the first round of the 2026 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.

That's not true.

Peter, Peter Brand invented everything.

I mean, no, I, like... [laughs]

He invented stat-

[laughs]

"I don't like that guy."

I, I understand what, like, the implement of Peter Brand is like.

Yeah.

Yeah, I-

He, Peter Brand sent to-

Yeah, I have a men's group that I go to.

I, um, I was going to a, a men's Bible study, uh, when this was all going on, and one of my, one of my guys told me to go watch that clip.