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Iowa center, B1G Player of the Year Luka Garza announces future plans

Dustin Schutte

By Dustin Schutte

Published:

Luka Garza had an outstanding season at Iowa, earning B1G Player of the Year, All-B1G and All-American honors, along with plenty of other awards throughout the year. And now, it’s time for him to make a decision on his future.

Garza announced on Friday that he will declare for the 2020 NBA Draft, an unsurprising move from one of the top players in college basketball. However, the Hawkeyes center will not hire an agent at this time, keeping his option to return to Iowa City open.

Friday morning, Garza released a statement on social media.

“This year was one I could never have imagined. None of the awards or accolades could have happened without the University of Iowa, my coaches, and my teammates,” Garza wrote. “Choosing Coach McCaffery and Iowa was the best decision I’ve ever made. With that said, after meeting with my family and coaches I decided that I will be declaring for the 2020 NBA Draft, and throughout this process I will be KEEPING MY ELIGIBILITY.”

By keeping his eligibility available, it allows Garza to receive an evaluation from NBA scouts and decide if he has a chance to improve his draft stock next season, or if now is the best time to pursue a professional career.

Garza averaged 23.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per contest. He scored 20 points or more in 25 games and totaled 15 double-doubles on the year. The Hawkeyes finished with a 20-11 record to close out the 2019-20 season.

Dustin Schutte

Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB