Patrick McCaffery

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Patrick McCaffery

| image = Patrick McCaffery (cropped).jpg

| caption = McCaffery with Iowa in 2022

| number = 22

| position = Power forward

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 9

| weight_lbs = 212

| team = Butler Bulldogs

| league = Big East Conference

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|3|20}}

| birth_place = Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.

| high_school = Iowa City West
(Iowa City, Iowa)

| college =

Iowa (2019–2024)
Butler (2024–2025)

| highlights =

}}

Patrick D. McCaffery (born March 20, 2000) is an American college basketball player for the Butler Bulldogs of the Big East Conference. He previously played for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Early life and high school career

McCaffery was born in Greensboro, North Carolina where his father, Fran McCaffery was the head basketball coach at UNC Greensboro and spent his early childhood there until moving to Albany, New York after Fran became the head coach at Siena. He moved with his family to Iowa City, Iowa at age ten when his father was named the head coach at the University of Iowa. McCaffery was diagnosed with thyroid cancer when he was 13 years old.{{cite web|url=https://www.press-citizen.com/story/sports/college/iowa/iowa-mens-basketball/2014/04/14/patrick-mccafferys-tumor-was-cancerous-treatment-is-next/7715089/|title=Patrick McCaffery's tumor was cancerous, treatment is next|work=Iowa City Press-Citizen|date=April 14, 2014|access-date=November 30, 2022}} He was diagnosed cancer free after three months of treatment, including two surgeries.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/bigten/2014/11/05/college-basketball-fran-mccaffery-patrick-mccaffery-iowa-cancer-diagnosis/18558257/|title=How Iowa's Fran McCaffery has changed since son's cancer|first=Rick|last=Brown|work=USA TODAY|date=November 5, 2014|access-date=November 30, 2022}}

McCaffery attended Iowa City West High School and made the varsity basketball team as a freshman.{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.com/basketball/the-gazettes-area-boys-basketball-team-of-the-decade/|title=The Gazette's area boys' basketball Team of the Decade|work=The Gazette|date=December 30, 2019|access-date=December 14, 2022}} He was named first-team All-State after winning the 2017 4A State Championship and averaged 19.9 points and six rebounds per game in his junior season. McCaffery repeated as a first-team All-State selection after averaging 25.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/high-school/all-iowa/2019/03/15/register-2018-19-all-iowa-boys-basketball-team-dj-carton-tyreke-locure-patrick-mccaffery-jake-hilmer/3162470002/|title=Introducing the Register's 2018-19 All-Iowa boys' basketball team|work=The Des Moines Register|date=March 15, 2019|access-date=December 14, 2022}} He also set Iowa City West's scoring record during his senior season.{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.com/basketball/patrick-mccaffery-sets-iowa-city-wests-career-scoring-record-in-win-over-dubuque-wahlert/|title=Patrick McCaffery sets Iowa City West's career scoring record in win over Dubuque Wahlert|work=The Gazette|date=February 13, 2019|access-date=November 30, 2022}} McCaffery was rated a consensus top-100 recruit and committed to playing college basketball for his father at Iowa.{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-prep-sports/patrick-mccaffery-officially-commits-to-iowa/|title=Patrick McCaffery officially commits to Iowa|work=The Gazette|date=October 5, 2017|access-date=December 14, 2022}}

College career

McCaffery played in two games as a freshman before missing the rest of the season after encountering complications from his cancer treatment.{{cite web|url=https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ts/sports/basketball/ncaa/2022/12/05/jimmy-v-classic-more-than-game-for-iowas-patrick-mccaffery.html|title=Jimmy V Classic more than game for Iowa's Patrick McCaffery|work=The Peterborough Examiner|publisher=Associated Press|date=December 5, 2022|access-date=December 7, 2022}} He ultimately was granted a hardship waiver by the NCAA and allowed to use a redshirt on the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.com/hawkeye-basketball/iowas-patrick-mccaffery-gets-hardship-waiver-approved/|title=Iowa's Patrick McCaffery gets hardship waiver approved|work=The Gazette|date=May 29, 2020|access-date=November 30, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.kcrg.com/2021/10/13/patrick-mccaffery-looking-step-up-iowa-his-redshirt-sophomore-season/|title=Patrick McCaffery looking to step up for Iowa in his redshirt sophomore season|first=Scott|last=Saville|website=KCRG.com|date=October 12, 2021|access-date=November 30, 2022}} He played in all 31 of the Hawkeyes games as a redshirt freshman and averaged 5.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=https://www.ourquadcities.com/sports/hawkeye-headquarters/patrick-mccaffery-murray-brothers-going-to-spain-for-exhibition-games/|title=Patrick McCaffery, Murray brothers going to Spain for exhibition games|website=OurQuadCities.com|date=July 16, 2021|access-date=November 30, 2022}} McCaffery became a starter and averaged 10.5 points and 3.6 rebounds as a redshirt sophomore.{{cite web|url=https://globegazette.com/sports/college/basketball/men/patrick-mccaffery-seeking-consistency-in-junior-year-at-iowa/article_d9f6f5eb-aac9-5eb3-87d1-1c5fe2199a1f.html|title=Patrick McCaffery seeking consistency in junior year at Iowa|work=Globe Gazette|date=July 6, 2022|access-date=December 16, 2022}}

McCaffery started the first 14 games of his redshirt junior season before taking a leave of absence from the team, citing the need to address his mental health.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/35373969/iowa-patrick-mccaffery-takes-indefinite-leave-address-anxiety|title=Iowa's Patrick McCaffery takes indefinite leave to address anxiety|website=ESPN.com|publisher=Associated Press|date=January 3, 2023|access-date=January 16, 2023}} He returned to the team after a six-game leave of absence.{{cite web|url=https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/college/iowa/basketball-men/2023/01/30/patrick-mccaffery-return-anxiety-issues-mental-health-gives-iowa-basketball-boost-hawkeyes-big-ten/69853896007/|title=Following anxiety bout, Iowa's Patrick McCaffery is back and focused solely on basketball|first=Kennington Lloyd|last=Smith III|work=Des Moines Register|date=January 30, 2023|access-date=January 31, 2023}} McCaffery served as a key reserve coming off the bench after his return.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4314209/2023/03/16/iowas-patrick-mccaffery-ncaa-tournament/|title=Iowa’s Patrick McCaffery and the road back to this moment|first=Brendan|last=Quinn|website=The Athletic|date=March 16, 2023|access-date=March 23, 2023}} He finished the season averaging 9.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 27 games played.{{cite web|url=https://qctimes.com/sports/college/mccaffery-embracing-larger-role-with-hawkeyes/article_8f9a2962-7157-11ee-ab7b-1fd94d11c0d6.html|title=McCaffery embracing larger role with Hawkeyes|work=Quad-City Times|date=October 24, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2024}} McCaffery played in 31 games with 15 starts during his redshirt senior season and averaged 8.9 points and 2.8 rebounds. After the season, McCaffery decided to utilize the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes who played in the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and entered the NCAA transfer portal.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39821845/iowa-patrick-mccaffery-son-coach-transfer-portal|title=Iowa's Patrick McCaffery, son of coach, in transfer portal|website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press|date=March 27, 2024|access-date=April 17, 2024}}

McCaffery ultimately transferred to play at Butler.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5412744/2024/04/13/patrick-mccaffery-iowa-transfer-butler/|title=Patrick McCaffery, son of Iowa men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery, transfers to Butler|first=Scott|last=Dochterman|website=The Athletic|date=April 13, 2024|access-date=April 17, 2024}} On November 8, 2024, McCaffery scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a 68-66 loss against Austin Peay. McCaffery had 20 points and pulled down seven rebounds in a 73–58 victory over Eastern Illinois on December 3, 2024. On January 4, 2025, McCaffery scored 13 points and had 11 rebounds for his second career double-double and first in his Butler career in a 70–62 loss at St. John's. McCaffery had 21 points and collected seven rebounds in an 80–76 loss against Creighton on January 11, 2025.

In the regular season finale, McCaffery scored 19 points and had three steals in an 87–74 loss at Creighton on March 8, 2025. McCaffery had 16 points in a 78–57 loss against St. John's in the 2025 Big East Tournament on March 13, 2025.