Luka Garza was one of the best players in the NCAA this past season and now he has declared for the 2020 NBA Draft. He will be maintaining his final year of college eligibility and will likely decide to return to school for his senior year. Testing the 2020 NBA Draft process will be uniquely difficult because of the possible NBA Combine cancelation due to the Coronavirus Outbreak. The feedback that players may normally get may not be completely available for guys like Garza. It is hard to pin down his draft projection because he wasn’t on NBA scout’s draft radar before his phenomenal junior season.
Luka Garza to declare for NBA Draft while maintaining eligibility: https://t.co/GZKmD1W6cU | #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/Wu5vSi8W8M
— Iowa Basketball (@IowaHoops) April 10, 2020
Garza was a top NCAA player this year and finished second for multiple Player of the Year awards behind Dayton’s Obi Toppin. He averaged 23.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game in his junior year with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Garza paired these impressive numbers with a field goal percentage of 54.2 percent and a three-point percentage of 35.8 percent. The Iowa offense flowed through Garza all year long.
There is a space in the NBA for a guy like Garza. He is listed at 6’11” and 260 pounds. That size paired with his ability to extend his shot will lead him to a role in the NBA. He may not be the starter on an NBA team but, size is always a valuable asset in the NBA. It seems likely that Garza will get the feedback that he can and then return to Iowa for his final season. The Hawkeyes could be a dangerous team to watch if Garza does return to the roster next year.
