Should he stay or should he go?
That’s the question that Luka Garza will deal with for the next two weeks until the NCAA’s early entry withdrawal deadline for the 2020 NBA Draft on Aug. 3rd.
How big of a legacy could the 6-11 big man leave in the state of Iowa if he returns to school for his senior season?
A massive one, according to his head coach.
“He will be legendary in this state if he comes back, if he’s not already legendary,” Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said of Garza Monday on the College Hoops Today Podcast. “If he returns, he’s going to be the school’s all-time leading scorer, but I think one of things that he’s excited about is to do unprecedented things for our program.”
Garza would be the consensus favorite for National Player of the Year if he returns to school for his senior season after averaging 23.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks last season as a junior.
He’d also give Iowa a legitimate chance to add to the school’s three Final Four appearances; the Hawkeyes have not been to college basketball’s most fabled showcase since 1980.
Still, given the current landscape of things in the world with coronavirus, McCaffery reiterates that it’s imperative that Garza makes the best decision for himself regardless of how it affects Iowa.
“I want what’s best for Luka,” McCaffery said. “That’s the way it has to be.”
Garza is not projected to be a first-round pick and has not had an opportunity to work out for NBA teams due to the pandemic.
The Hawkeyes were 20-11 last season prior to the cancellation of the Big Ten Tournament.
Iowa will return two other double-figure scorers next season in Joe Wieskamp (14 points) and CJ Fredrick (10.2 points) in addition to Garza along with several other key pieces headlined by Joe Toussaint and Connor McCaffery, who led the nation last year in assist-to-turnover ratio.
The Hawkeyes will also add three players who were injured last season in Jordan Bohannon (hip) along with Patrick McCaffery (undisclosed) and Jack Nunge (knee). Fran McCaffery said that Bohannon and Patrick McCaffery were fully cleared for all basketball related activities and hoped that Nunge was fully cleared by September.
Bohannon only played 10 games last season, but was one of the top shot makers in the Big Ten two years ago and could completely change the offensive dynamic of this team with his ability to stretch the defense. The 6-1 guard has never made less than 79 three-point shots over the course of a season when he’s been fully healthy.
“There’s eight guys right there who can all make plays,” Fran McCaffery said. “We’re bringing guys off the bench who can score. It wouldn’t just have a chance to be the best team I’ve ever coached — it would also have a chance to be the deepest team that I’ve ever coached.”
With Garza back, Iowa would be the preseason favorite in the Big Ten.
The Hawkeyes are currently third in the ROTHSTEIN 45.
