Patrick McCaffery will be stepping away from Iowa basketball for an indefinite leave of absence. McCaffery says his battle with anxiety has affected his performance and it is not fair to his teammates.

McCaffery released a statement through Iowa basketball. He clarified that his absence is not related to his past battle with cancer:

“I have been battling anxiety for a while, and recently it has peaked, which has inhibited my preparation and performance on the court. It’s not fair to myself or teammates to be on the court when I am not myself. The anxiety has affected my sleep, appetite, and stamina, which has resulted in not having the energy level necessary to compete at my full capabilities. My struggle with anxiety affects every aspect of my well-being and makes it incredibly difficult to function normally. This is what I am battling right now. For this reason, I am taking an indefinite leave to address my situation. It might be two games, it may be four games, it may be more, but I will return when I feel like myself. My leave of absence is not related to my past battle with cancer.”

A redshirt junior, McCaffery is a multi-season starter. The 6-9 forward is averaging 12.8 points per game in the 2022-23 season. His season high is 24 points against Wisconsin on Dec. 11. The Hawkeyes play Indiana on Thursday.