Is Garza the best center in Iowa history?

[Herky T Hawk]

Garza at this point. 80 games played 1150. .555% 15.7ppg

He’s got 16 games left this year at a minimum barring injury. Plus another 32 minimum next year. If he averages 18 ppg in those games, which is very doable, with no NIT or NCAA games that is another 864 for a total of 2014 in 6 fewer games than Marble. Adding 6 more postseason games at that average puts him on top.

If he keeps his current 22.1 ppg average up over the next 1.5 years that is 1060 more points. Barring injury he will challenge if not outright sit atop the career scoring charts.

You’re looking at a kid that is pushing to potentially be one of the best regardless of position. And already is one of the top 5 centers in our history when accounting for different eras without playing his senior year. You have to go back almost 30 years to find your most recent viable comparison in Acie. If he was born 25 years earlier he’d be worrying about what his first round draft pick bonus would be this summer.


Also, Reggie was primarily a PF that played a little C when needed. Most of the time he was on the court with Reiner or Sondy covering the C spot.

 

[IllQChawk]

Luka must be good, just saw him in a post game interview and he's wearing diamond pierced earrings....he gone after this season....

 

[chuck285]

Too many youngsters on this board. Don Nelson was the best..After Iowa lost 4 starters to grades, he still carried them to a Big 10 title game where they lost by a couple of points to Ohio State with a team of All Americans. Then he went to the NBA as a forward/center and played something like 16 years, mostly with the Boston Celtics. So when Garza wins 5 NBA titles and lasts 16 years then I'll give him credit for the
GOAT as an Iowa center....

 

[iowa surfer]

I would have said Reggie Evans but I really think Luka might be the very best I have seen.

Reggie Not the Scorer.But waay Tough.Reggie Brought it Huh? Remember Missouri Game. 2nd one. Him and Recker went to Town. Still Luka Special.

 

[1inamillion]

Sam was a forward.

 

[hagarwood]

I'm with Chuck. I grew up in married student housing in the 50's and my Dad was a professor I started at Iowa in the 70's. Don Nelson was the best. Luka Garza is great and may get a higher plateau yet, he has time to do it, but for now it's still Don Nelson.

 

[ICWestfan]

No mention of Bruce "Sky" King???

 

[HoustonHawkeye]

No mention of Bruce "Sky" King???

Good catch. I was thinking of him, but couldn't remember his name.

 

[BrunoMars420]

Idk what is more impressive, Luka or an 80 year old posting on a message board?

 

[ConiferHawk]

Luka must be good, just saw him in a post game interview and he's wearing diamond pierced earrings....he gone after this season....

I agree, I think he goes pro after this season. I don’t care about his “lack of athleticism”, he has everything else you need at 6’10” or 6’11”. He’s tenacious and makes such a high percentage of shots by the bucket. He rebounds, he hits 3’s. He gone.

 

[owenhawk]

Offensively, he’s by far the best I’ve seen. I just started watching in Dr. Tom’s first year so I never saw Stokes. I’ve been really happy with his defensive improvement this year though.

 

[owenhawk]

I agree, I think he goes pro after this season. I don’t care about his “lack of athleticism”, he has everything else you need at 6’10” or 6’11”. He’s tenacious and makes such a high percentage of shots by the bucket. He rebounds, he hits 3’s. He gone.

I still would be surprised if he left.

 

[And1Hawk]

Luka is up there among the best we’ve had in in the past 40 years. Acie Earl was really good too. The thing about Greg Stokes and Reggie Evans who were both awesome is they may have been labeled ‘center’ but they were actually 4’s not 5’s.

Luka is super skilled and just brings it every night.

 

[DewHawk]

Great question. Any discussion of the best Iowa centers must include Don Nelson. He was a force inside and he went on to great things. If Luka comes back next year and has a similar year to this year then I think yes he will be the best ever. He is a bit of a throwback but he does everything so well. Let's talk after next year but yes he may be the best ever.

I would agree with the above comment.

 

[RomanHawk]

The archives list him as a 6'7'' forward. Bill Schoop was listed as the center at 6'6''.

That surprises me. I followed that team closely and Logan was always listed and introduced as the center. In the NCAA matchup with the San Francisco Dons, the focus was Russell vs Logan, not Russell vs Schoop. I never ever heard Schoof referred to as the center on that team.

 

[anon_i8nzeu2gbf0ba]

I didn’t see Nelson play, but if he was better than Luka, he must have been really, really good.

Nelson was a first-team All-American and went on to an excellent career with the Boston Celtics when the Celtics ruled the NBA way back in the 1960s.

At 6-6, as noted earlier, Nelson was much shorter than most opposing centers he faced as a Hawkeye. He used to have brutal battles under the boards with the likes of 6-10 Walt Bellamy of Indiana, for example. Nelson wasn't a great leaper at all, but he was brilliant at boxing out and could score from anywhere on the floor, including having multiple moves under the basket, similar to Luka. And, like Luka, Nelson had a great motor.

Iowa has had several great centers over the last 70 years or so, but Nelson may still be the best with Luka coming up fast . . . real fast. And that is a great thing to see.

 

[BGHAWK]

No mention of Bruce "Sky" King???

Didn't he lead the Big in scoring and rebounding as a senior? I cannot remember now, but maybe he was All Big 10 but wasn't POY.

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

I was 9-10 years old when Acie Earl gave me an autograph. Loved that dude. Shot block master.

Garza is the new age version.

Garza is way stronger than Acie ...both physically and mentally. JMO

 

[Aleksei]

Idk what is more impressive, Luka or an 80 year old posting on a message board?

Thank you ... this put a smile on my face. And I’m so glad to see so many people close to my age on the board who remember the likes of Don Nelson and others I failed to mention. This is a good group of informed Hawkeye fans. I’ve been to many Iowa football bowl games and regional basketball matches, and always found the Hawkeye crowd more informed and classier than most if not all other teams’ fans!

 

[BGHAWK]

Sam was a forward.

I never got to see him play but listened to some games or tapes of games and he was unbelievable at 6' 3". I've posted this before, but there was one game I thought he had multiple 3 point plays the hard way, something like 6 or 7.

 

[kceasthawk]

Garza's post moves are best ever at Iowa. Stokes had a half hook, not a wide array of shots. Reggie evans was mostly a rebounder. Garza is putting up pretty incredible rebounding numbers to go with his offense

Thats the thing that is the most impressive to me. Its not just that he's improved so much offensively, but he is so much better on defense, and on the boards this year. The fact that he has thrust his name into a serious discussion as national player of the year is both amazing and warrented.....

 

[kceasthawk]

My favorite memory about the 1970 undefeated BIG team was coach Ralph Miller's comment on Rick Mount. (remember no 3 pt shots then) Mount went off for 50 or 60 points against us and we squecked out a win. Miller said I don't care how many he scores as long as he shoots under 50% (or words to that effect). Any other geezers out there can correct me if I didn't get it just right!

I believe it was 60pts and Iowa still won the game. They had to have , they were 14-0 in BIG play in 1970.....

 

[Joes Place]

No mention of Bruce "Sky" King???

Or Mike "The Tree" Henry?

 

[wilson reborn]

Nelson was a first-team All-American and went on to an excellent career with the Boston Celtics when the Celtics ruled the NBA way back in the 1960s.

At 6-6, as noted earlier, Nelson was much shorter than most opposing centers he faced as a Hawkeye. He used to have brutal battles under the boards with the likes of 6-10 Walt Bellamy of Indiana, for example. Nelson wasn't a great leaper at all, but he was brilliant at boxing out and could score from anywhere on the floor, including having multiple moves under the basket, similar to Luka. And, like Luka, Nelson had a great motor.

Iowa has had several great centers over the last 70 years or so, but Nelson may still be the best with Luka coming up fast . . . real fast. And that is a great thing to see.

Wasn’t around for Don, and not contesting he was great, but he was really a forward, not a center. BTW, love his new life style in Hawaii, playing poker with Willie Nelson.

 

[BrunoMars420]

Thank you ... this put a smile on my face. And I’m so glad to see so many people close to my age on the board who remember the likes of Don Nelson and others I failed to mention. This is a good group of informed Hawkeye fans. I’ve been to many Iowa football bowl games and regional basketball matches, and always found the Hawkeye crowd more informed and classier than most if not all other teams’ fans!

Don’t give us that much credit haha. Just wait until a loss and head over to the football board

 

[DewHawk]

Wasn’t around for Don, and not contesting he was great, but he was really a forward, not a center. BTW, love his new life style in Hawaii, playing poker with Willie Nelson.

He played center in college. Agree he was a forward in NBA.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Idk what is more impressive, Luka or an 80 year old posting on a message board?

Eh, my liver is 80

 

[wj]

I am a month older than Don "Nellie" Nelson. And yes, he was very very good, and tougher than nails. Averaged almost 24 points per game in 1960 and 1961, and as a 6'6" center, and playing against some of the best "big" players of his time. An all American went on to play for many years as a successful NBA player and then as a coach. Really one of the greatest Hawkeyes of all time. As a contemporary enjoyed watching him play. For you young'ins, worth a Google search. Garza is very good, and difficult to compare to Nellie almost 60 years ago.

 

[SSG T]

Love Garza...but Acie Earl

 

[tedboy78]

Acie brought a lot to those teams. Could've scored more but didn't need to. Great defending the lane.

i think before you call anyone the "best ever," you have to let their career end and then take a look.

Garza is just 2 1/2 years in; he's not even in the top 25 on the Iowa career scoring list yet.

Look at the Top 4 Iowa scorers of all time. Two great Iowa centers are at #3 and #4. And Acie Earl was a helluva defender and shot blocker.

1 Roy Marble...2,116 (4 yrs: 1986-1989, 134 GP, .539 FG%,, 15.8 ppg; 26 three pt goals)

2 Aaron White...1,859 (4 yrs: 2012-2015, 140 GP, .517 FG%,, 13.3 ppg; 61 three pt goals)

3 Acie Earl...1,779 (4 yrs: 1990-1993, 116 GP, .508 FG%,, 15.3 ppg; 2 three pt goals)

4 Greg Stokes...1,768 (4 yrs: 1982-1985, 120 GP, .545 FG%,, 14.7 ppg)

 

[Legend12]

Didn't he lead the Big in scoring and rebounding as a senior? I cannot remember now, but maybe he was All Big 10 but wasn't POY.

King led the conference in rebounding and was 3rd in scoring.

 

[TDJ7]

 

[twindman]

I remember Bruce King. Wasn't he really a small PF or such. I think he was very quick and could jump but wasn't really over 6'6 or so if I remember correctly. And I doubt he was over 230 lb. (I'm too lazy to research it!!!)

 

[chuck285]

I agree, I think he goes pro after this season. I don’t care about his “lack of athleticism”, he has everything else you need at 6’10” or 6’11”. He’s tenacious and makes such a high percentage of shots by the bucket. He rebounds, he hits 3’s. He gone.

Hopefully he see's how Cook has done going after his Junior year. Basketball is a lot different than football. Another year will only help him and he still can improve...See ya next year Garza.

 

[hawkguy77]

I believe it was 60pts and Iowa still won the game. They had to have , they were 14-0 in BIG play in 1970.....

I believe the final score of that Purdue game was 114-113 in overtime. That team also scored 75 points in the first half in a regional NCAA Tournament consolation game. The opponent was Notre Dame with Austin Carr playing for them. One of the last years that consolation games were played.

 

[papabeef]

yup , hopefully his post was scarcasm in hiding .

 

[kceasthawk]

I believe the final score of that Purdue game was 114-113 in overtime. That team also scored 75 points in the first half in a regional NCAA Tournament consolation game. The opponent was Notre Dame with Austin Carr playing for them. One of the last years that consolation games were played.

I remember, that team could really light it up, even without the three ball. I still remember sitting it the Sears parking lot in Davenport with my Dad listening to that 1970 Purdue game on the car radio while my Mom was in the store shopping. I was 11 years old, but probably one of my first memories of following the Hawks.

 

[Hawk fan in MN]

I like Luka a whole lot.

Greg Stokes was a really good player for the Hawks.

Loved watching the Hawks with Payne and Stokes

 

[Legend12]

I believe the final score of that Purdue game was 114-113 in overtime. That team also scored 75 points in the first half in a regional NCAA Tournament consolation game. The opponent was Notre Dame with Austin Carr playing for them. One of the last years that consolation games were played.

That was 1970....the last consolation game was 1981.

 

[mstp1992]

Idk what is more impressive, Luka or an 80 year old posting on a message board?

I don’t know, isn’t @Lone Clone about 112 years old? I think he was in the stands when the Cyclones clinched the 1934-35 Big 6 title.