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Garza Named to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List

Apr 8, 2003
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Garza Named to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa junior Luka Garza is one of 20 players in the country to be named to the 2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List.

Named after three-time NCAA Champion, three-time NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and three-time National Player of the Year Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its sixth year recognizes the top center in Division I men's college basketball.

Garza (6-foot-11, 245 pounds) has put up numbers that few Hawkeyes have done through their sophomore season. Garza joins Aaron White and Jess Settles as the only Hawkeyes to total more than 800 points and 350 rebounds through their sophomore year. Last season, Garza tallied 20 or more points a team-best eight times, and ranked second on the squad in scoring (13.1) and fourth in rebounding (4.5). The Washington, D.C. native was an honorable mention all-conference honoree and was voted the Most Valuable Player of the 2K Empire Classic in New York City.

The list will be narrowed down to 10 in mid-February and then five finalists will be selected in March that will be presented to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the selection committee. The winner of this award will be presented at the sixth annual ESPN College Basketball Awards Show live from Los Angeles on April 10.

Iowa will hit the court for the first time Nov. 4, hosting Lindsey Wilson College in an exhibition on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 7 p.m. (CT).

Single-game tickets, the Fight For Iowa Mobile Season Pass, season tickets, and mini packages are currently available for purchase at hawkeyesports.com/fightforiowa.
 
I didn't realize that he was in that exclusive group of 3 (including him, White and Settles), especially considering he played his way back from injuries last year.
 
Chase Jeter Arizona
Nico Carvacho Colorado State
Vernon Carey Duke
Kerry Blackshear Florida
Omer Yurtseven Georgetown
Luka Garza Iowa
Udoka Azubuike Kansas
Steven Enoch Louisville
James Wiseman Memphis
Jon Teske Michigan
Jeremiah Tilmon Missouri
Armando Bacot[ North Carolina
Nate Watson Providence
Matt Haarms Purdue
Nick Rakocevic USC
Neemias Queta Utah St
Isaiah Stewart Washington
Derek Culver West Virginia
Charles Bassey Western Kentucky
Nathan Knight William & Mary


Who are the frontrunners? The dude from N.C. is a true freshman.
 
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300 starting centers and Luka's in someone's top 20, impressive. Luka's a top 100 recruit (ESPN #83) playing like a top 100 recruit. He'll be even better this year. Look for Joey W to be around 18-20 ppg and Luka 16-18 with a big drop to number 3 on team scoring.

If Luka produces 16-18 ppg, 6-7 rpg and shoots a respectable percentage he's going to get some post season love as well.
 
Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes.


Are you old enough to remember the old Central Division. Kareem, Jamal and the Big Os Bucks, the great Bob Love/Chet Walker (with Stormin Norman and Jerry Sloan kicking ass) Bulls teams, Bob Lanier and Dave Bing's Pistons and even Nate and Sam Lacy with the KC/O Kings?

Great midwestern ball in the pre diluted NBA.
 
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Are you old enough to remember the old Central Division. Kareem, Jamal and the Big Os Bucks, the great Bob Love/Chet Walker (with Stormin Norman and Jerry Sloan kicking ass) Bulls teams, Bob Lanier and Dave Bing's Pistons and even Nate and Sam Lacy with the KC/O Kings?

Great midwestern ball in the pre diluted NBA.

Not the Central Division back then, it was the Midwest Division.

And who was Jamal? I'm drawing a blank on that one.
 
Garza is a warrior who leads by example. Great Hawkeye.

It never hurts recruiting to have your guys on lists like this.

*cough* are you watching, XF? *cough*
 
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