Jess Settles

I was always 3-4 inches over the line


Moonlighters come in all shapes and sizes. That goes for their college careers, too. Many today know about Jordan Bohannon who has utilized both an injury year and the COVID year so that he can participate in his 6th season for the Iowa Hawkeyes. As crazy as that seems, it isn’t the first time in recent history. This week’s Moonlighter suited up for over 1,600 points and 3 NCAA tournaments between 1993 and 1999. Jess Settles was a big part of a lot of our childhoods because of just how long he spent on the roster for Tom Davis and that long stretch of winning Iowa basketball.


Jess Settles was a star for Winfield-Mount Union in tiny Winfield, Iowa. A true cornfed product, Settles was a big-time recruit for Tom Davis in the 1993 recruiting class as the reigning Iowa Mr. Basketball. The plan for his freshman season was to back up Chris Street but after his tragic death, the pressure was on. Settles delivered right out of the gate, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year in the 1993-1994 season. Settles went from 1A Iowa high school basketball to trying to pound the ball against Big Ten included Juwan Howard at Michigan and Glenn Robinson at Purdue. 


Playing for Tom Davis throughout the 1990s means that Settles played with many Hawkeye legends; Chris Kingsbury, Dean Oliver, Andre Woolridge, and Duez Henderson to name just a few. Over the course of his 6 years, the Hawks won almost 120 games and went to the Round of 32 twice and one Sweet Sixteen. 


Mixed in with all of the success were some brutal injuries. Settles shares about how the injuries were truly life-altering. His back injuries hampered the last 5 years of his career. In spite of those challenges, Settles ended his career as an all-time fan favorite.


Nowadays, Settles gets to live out his dream as a farmer following in the footsteps of his dad and uncle. When he isn’t sitting in the cab of a combine, Settles is sitting courtside as a basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network. 

Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee"
 https://www.moonlightgrahamshow.com/buy-swag/moonlighter-tee-1

We would love to meet you on social media. Give us a follow!

Similar Posts You Might Like
WE ARE BACK
WE ARE BACK

Season 14 of The Moonlight Graham Show is here!

Read More →
Nate McCoy
Nate McCoy

This week we are sending out dreams of spring and early tee times on the weekend. Tim sits down with Nate McCoy to talk all things golf and life after you start carrying your own bag. The former Cyclone and pro golfer shares his perspective on the game, his career, and his decision to make a career in golf without the clubs in his hands.

Read More →
Mitch Osborn
Mitch Osborn

Every Iowa sports fan knows the reputation of Harlan Community High School. The Harlan Cyclones are known far and wide for their success in every sport. Coach Bladt and the football program built a foundation of success that the entire community rests on. There is a lot of pride in the school colors and full bleachers whenever they take the field or court. Mitch Osborn has helped to continue that success in his roles as AD and head basketball coach. This week we sit down with Coach Osborn to learn about his career and what makes Harlan so darn special.

Read More →
Chris Rossi - The Gospel of Pickleball
Chris Rossi - The Gospel of Pickleball

Much of the Moonlight Graham Show has been about telling the stories of former athletes. We have spent 274 episodes looking back on glory days and telling the stories that either made the highlights or shaped the person in the jersey. But this week, we look at a sport that is bringing athletes back to life while it grows on a national stage. Pickleball has been growing in popularity over the last decade. Today, names as big as Lebron James are involved as investors and sponsors. The game has gone from junior high PE classes and retirement communities to deserving real attention.

Read More →
Kevin Negaard - Raising Money for The Miracle League by Playing Catch
Kevin Negaard - Raising Money for The Miracle League by Playing Catch

Every listener to this podcast knows that a game of catch is rarely just a game of catch. Playing catch is an opportunity to connect with someone, whether you spend that time in conversation or just listening to the pop of the ball hitting the leather. Few understand this more than this week’s guest, Kevin Negaard. Negaard’s journey is nearing his goal of 365 consecutive days of catch. This endeavor has connected him with hundreds of partners, has spanned two continents, and led to two injections in his shoulder.

Read More →
Griffin House
Griffin House

This week’s Moonlighter is an underdog, but the hardwood he plays on is more likely to be found on a stage than on a basketball court. Like most of our guests, he is a former athlete, but unlike many of our guests, he walked away from the game instead of the other way around. Griffin House has spent the last 20+ years with a guitar in his hands, recording, touring, and turning out songs that thousands of us love to sing along with.

Read More →
Reed Timmer - Drake Basketball's All-Time Leading Scorer
Reed Timmer - Drake Basketball's All-Time Leading Scorer

The college basketball season is about to hit full swing. A lot of the attention in Iowa is on the Hawkeyes and the Cyclones and where they might fall in the top 25. But, lucky for us, we also have two top-tier Missouri Valley Conference teams in the state. Almost every February, there is talk about how many of our big 4 teams can get into the tourney and who can make a run. This week we welcome one of the best Drake Bulldogs to ever put on the uniform, Reed Timmer. Timmer’s career included many records, and he was part of the transition from a few rough years into the upshot that Drake has been on for the last several seasons.

Read More →
Ryan Harklau
Ryan Harklau

Role players come in all shapes and sizes. And sometimes, they have to change their shapes and sizes to fit their roles. So as you fill up on Christmas goodies and homecooked meals, just pretend you are getting yourself ready for a new challenge. Ryan Harklau went from being a 3 sport star at Humboldt High School to working through the dark days of the Dan McCarney era. Harklau has never stopped chasing down experiences in and around sports. Today he is still very involved with the Iowa State Cyclones and gets to stay about as close to the game as you can get.

Read More →
Tyler O'Shea - The Best Underdog Stories of 2022
Tyler O'Shea - The Best Underdog Stories of 2022

The underdog podcast needed to sit down with the underdog guy. Tyler O’Shea is a kindred spirit for the Moonlighters out there. O’Shea is researching, writing, and podcasting as he builds his own underdog story with Jokermag.com. Tyler O’Shea has built an incredible underdog storytelling machine. Now, he joins us at the Moonlight Show to break down his top 5 underdog stories from 2022. His list spans the USFL to the NFL and FedEx to the MLB. Tyler O’Shea and Joker Mag know their underdogs, and he came to share.

Read More →
The Greatest Multi-Sport Athletes
The Greatest Multi-Sport Athletes

In an age of sport specialization, the multi-sport athlete is more fascinating than ever. In this week's episode, Tim and Neil discuss the best dual-sport athletes of their lifetimes.

Read More →
Basketball, HawkeyesTim Flattery11Comment