Nicholas Baer, Iowa United are honoring Chris Street tonight at national basketball tournament

Nicholas Baer is just one part of the Hawkeye legacy that will travel with the Iowa United team competing in this week's The Basketball Tournament.

The recently graduated Iowa fan favorite will be bringing perhaps the most revered program legend to Wichita, Kansas, in spirit as well.

Baer will be sporting a No. 40 jersey with the late Chris Street's name on the back when the team primarily composed of alums from the state's Division I universities competes in the 64-team, single-elimination tournament that offers $2 million in winner-take-all prize money.

The team's first-round game against the AfterShocks, a Wichita State-centered alumni squad, is set for 8 p.m. Thursday and will be broadcast on ESPN.

Baer earned a place among the most beloved recent Hawkeyes' players for his combination of talent, energy and spirit, even while coming off the bench for much of his career. There certainly are generational echoes to Street, who died Jan. 19, 1993, in a car crash just outside Iowa City.

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"Beyond honored to wear No. 40," Baer, a Bettendorf native, posted this week on Twitter. "That number will always be special in the state of Iowa. I pray I wear it well."

Iowa United Roster Ties

Iowa: Nicholas Baer, Melsahn Basabe, Matt Gatens, Megan Gustafson, Jeff Horner (coach), Cyrus Tate

Iowa State: Matthew Crawford (general manager), Marcus Fizer, Tyrus McGee

Drake: Nick McGlynn, Reed Timmer, Josh Young

Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Matt Tiby (Urbandale High School)