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Both at the collegiate and G-League levels, Luka Garza has established himself as a productive scorer.
The last time he played in the G-League, in 2023, he averaged 31.2 points, making him the University of Iowa’s all-time top scorer.
But in the NBA, that success hasn’t materialized yet. The Celtics signed the 26-year-old center earlier this week, putting him on his third team in four years.
Regarding the 6-foot-10-inch center’s ability to score, there is hope. His defensive skills are also a source of worry.
These are five Garza-related facts.
He s a former National College Player of the Year
The 2021 Lute Olson Award, which is granted to the best player in men’s collegiate basketball, went to Garza.
He is also a two-time Big Ten player of the year and a two-time winner of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trophy, which is given to the best center in the country.
During his senior season, he shot 55 percent from the floor and averaged 24.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks.
He was the MVP of the 2023 G-League Next Up game
The NBA expanded All-Star weekend in 2023 to include a G-League showcase game.
Garza scored 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds to win MVP of the first-ever G-League Next Up game. Despite having 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, Neemias Queta’s squad did not win.
Garza was chosen by his supporters to be his team’s captain.
Regarding his performance, Garza remarked, “I think I did solid.”Having a strong team simply helped. I put on my GM hat and picked well. I’m thrilled that we won since we have the best players in the G-League.
He s joining a thin Celtics frontcourt
The Celtics’ frontcourt depth isn’t as good as it was the previous season since Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet are no longer with the team, and free agent Al Horford is considering his options.
Right now, Garza and Queta are the team’s top two centers, with youngster Amari Williams and Xavier Tillman completing the group.
The Celtics have plenty of time to make roster changes, but for now, there aren’t many options at center.
He s skilled on offense and questionable defensively
Garza has displayed glimpses of being a good 3-point shooter, but he gets most of his scores in the paint.
Both his final year at Iowa and his most recent six-game G-League stint saw him shoot 44 percent from outside the arc. Despite making a lot fewer shots, his NBA career 3-point percentage is 31%.
Garza’s ability to score off of pick-and-rolls and pick-and-pops has been demonstrated. He has a variety of low-post moves and can hit floaters.
At the NBA level, he has not demonstrated that he can defend effectively enough to remain on the court. He is not very good at speed, movement, or rim protection. He was supposedly a 6-foot-7-inch sophomore in high school who couldn’t dunk.
Lefty Driesel s son coached him in high school
Chuck Driesell, the son of legendary college basketball coach Lefty Driesell, was Garza’s coach during his high school basketball career at Maret School in Washington, D.C.
After Len Bias passed away in 1986, the older Driesell left his long-standing job at Maryland, but he returned to coaching in 1988 and continued to do so until 2003. On the list of men’s collegiate basketball coaches with the most victories (786), Lefty Driesell comes in at number 15.
For ten years, the younger Driesell has been a coach at the Maret School.
During his time at Maret, Garza was named the 2017 D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year.
Boston.com’s Khari Thompson reports on professional sports. Khari worked as a college football reporter for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, prior to joining the team in 2022.
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