Is Garza the best center in Iowa history?
- Thread starter Aleksei
- Start date
Pretty cool to hear the announcers say " he's the best player in the country" and we get to enjoy him as a Hawk.
If you’re the best player in the country you’re probably the best Center in Iowa history.
I went to a prime time league game once and Acie was playing (this was years after he was out of the NBA). Before I realized it was him he got ejected and kicked a chair into the crowd.
It was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen. Sent a folding chair like 8 rows deep. Dude is a legend.
It was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen. Sent a folding chair like 8 rows deep. Dude is a legend.
I remember a home game at the old Fieldhouse, watching Mount score 50+....vast majority from outside. I’ll never forget that and I bet that’s the same game you are referring to.
If there had been a 3-pt shot when Mount was playing, he would have had a bunch of 50+ point games.
I have no idea who mount is so I wiki him and found this interesting, In that game alone he would have had 13 threes and would have scored 74 pts I guess.
I loved Greg Stokes, I loved Kevin Kunnert, I loved Woody, I loved Erik Jensen, I loved Acie Earl, I loved Don Nelson. Garza is the best college center to play at Iowa in my lifetime. The case can certainly be made for Don Nelson, but folks this guy is ridiculous. Let's enjoy it while we can because I certainly won't see his like again and only the youngsters on this board might.
Garza is the GOAT already with apologies to Ronnie Lester. No one has the accolades he already has let alone what other hardware he picks up both individually and as a team.
Wasn't Eric Jensen a tight end? Erek Hanson maybe?
Under the old college players only rule, Garza would have been an Olympian this summer.
Chuck Darling is the only other center that could compare to that honor. Along with that he was a consensus first team All-American too. Looking at what Luka is likely going to do this season, he will surpass Darling’s accomplishments.
Chuck Darling is the only other center that could compare to that honor. Along with that he was a consensus first team All-American too. Looking at what Luka is likely going to do this season, he will surpass Darling’s accomplishments.
I'm with Suterman. I've watched a lot of Iowa basketball over several decades and seen have seen some great players in my time, but Garza is just so special. A double figure scorer every season, and a motor that never stops. Kunnert was a great rebounder and scorer on some horrible teams. Loved Sky King who, even though a bit undersized, usually held his own against the bigs like Mychal Thompson, Tom Scheffler and Phil Hubbard. Kraficin and Waite were both good serviceable centers. Stokes came in as a tandem with Michael Payne and at first, it appeared Payne would be the star, but after a slow freshman year, Stokes, a quiet, steady player kept getting better while Payne's numbers fell off. When I first saw Earl, before he signed on, he was a lanky, gawky kid who always seemed to wearing a stocking cap. By his sophomore year, he was a force to be reckoned with. Erek Hansen was a great defensive center, as was Woodbury, in my humble opinion. Different skillset, but effective. All of these guys were great centers as Hawkeyes, but when the record books are written and the accolades handed out, none will compare to Luka, who in my estimation is the best Hawkeye center I've ever seen.
And it doesn't hurt that he is an absolute blast to watch!
And it doesn't hurt that he is an absolute blast to watch!
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I'm 70 and watched my first Hawk game at the Fieldhouse in 1963. George Peoples at center was a revelation to me as a teenager just after that. I've seen them all in the flesh since then, including a number former Hawkeye NBA players, but in my estimation Luka Garza is the best of the bunch... and it isn't even a close call.
So, it is almost a consensus that Luka is easily the best Hawkeye center ever. Is he the best Hawkeye player ever? I still like Ronnie, whose career was cut short, but if Luka can lead the Hawks to a final four????
Ronnie Lester w/ two good knees might still have been better.
Magic Johnson said he was the best college player he ever played against
Garza is probably the best offensive center to wear the black and gold. He has tireless worked on his game . I don’t think anyone who watched him as a Freshman could have predicted this sort of development. That being said, the game has changed a great deal over the years and I wonder how his game will play out in the NBA. 20 years ago, he is a sure fire top 3 pick. Not so sure now.
Even though I said we were all focused too much on offense earlier in this thread, I’d have to say he is the best now and will continue to prove it the rest of the year.
however, I’m not seeing how he will translate to the NBA... I think he will make a lot in Europe.
however, I’m not seeing how he will translate to the NBA... I think he will make a lot in Europe.
One thing I'm pretty sure of, is that for the next decade or so, all of the Iowa Centers are going to "suck", and they'll have Luka Garza to thank for that distinction! Ha!
He's setting the bar extremely high.
He's setting the bar extremely high.
Love me some Garzilla, but honestly, if I were on the playground picking a center for my team it would be Acie Earl. To me, there are few things in basketball as valuable as a game-changing defensive center.
Acie had some offensive ability too. Scored 40 and 36 in back to back NBA games.
Definitely would be hard to keep Garza off the floor though. Might have to slide him over to the 4😉
Acie had some offensive ability too. Scored 40 and 36 in back to back NBA games.
Definitely would be hard to keep Garza off the floor though. Might have to slide him over to the 4😉
Garza is maybe the best player we've ever had period, along with pre-injury Ronnie Lester. Certainly he's the best of my lifetime (I'm in my 20s). My parents are Iowa basketball superfans dating back to the 70s and gush about Ronnie, but they think Garza is the best Iowa player ever.
Different positions, different era's, but I still have to lean Ronnie Lester. He averaged 13.4 as a freshman, 19.9 as a soph., 18.7 as a Junior, and was limited by injury his Senior year and avg'd 14.8. But that Final Four team was 15-1 when he played and 8-9 when he didn't.
I think he was a better all around player when healthy.
Certainly Iowa's record without Garza could have a similar impact potentially, and of course the team has a lot to do with making a Final Four or not. Jury still out on that one, and we missed any opportunity last year, which I think most would agree we probably weren't making the Final Four.
I feel Lester had a bigger impact over the entirety of his 4 years, and running the point has a higher degree of difficulty. He's The Man, IMO.
I agree with this assessment, but Luka could change my mind (as I said earlier), if the Hawks go the the Final 4 this year. In Ronnie's senior year, they were actually undefeated when he played healthy, and were clearly one of the two best teams in the country (with a great Louisville team) that year. I would have loved to see them play Louisville with full healthy rosters. Ronnie had some highly underrated players as teammates, but none were considered top players. They had very little depth, and won by playing as a team. If Ronnie had wanted to get his, he could have easily averaged a lot more points.
I can't vote for anybody that smokes as much pot as Don Nelson does............(yes that is sarcasm)
He's a bit before my time, so I can't go with him, but if others choose to, fine by me.
First off kudos to the 80 year old that is posting! Barring cancellations Luka will break the scoring record. Lead the Hawks to a BTT or Final Four and that might be the deciding factor. Either way enjoy the ride. This is a fun team to watch!
He had to smoke all of that weed. He was still a college student until recently when he finally finished his degree.
Luka, as a National Player of the Year Candidate, is obviously a great player. If the question is he the best center offensively in Iowa history, that is hard to argue against from the players I have seen play dating back to the 1980’s. His balance of interior moves from the post, tenacity on the boards, and great shooting touch with range is unparalleled. At the same time, if you ask the question on the defensive end, he is not, even a liability in the past and part of the reason the team struggled to play man-to-man D. Last year he made great strides in learning to stay straight in position without fouling allowing him to keep his offense on the floor. That polarity in skills on offense and defense makes him hard to compare to a center like Greg Stokes who didn’t match Luka’s shooting, but was good on O and could play man defense. In terms of work ethic, Luka is a model and even an exemplar that sets the standard.
The best news is (at least for me) that I’m still alive at 81 and even remembered my password to this site, with some help from my grandson. And if I answered my own question from last year now that I’m a year more mature and wiser, 😂 I would say, Garza may be the most impactful player in Iowa history, especially if he helps us win a big ten title and a national championship. Stay safe and keep people around you safe, everyone.
I watched a lot of Ronnie Lester and no one can convince me that the Hawks don't beat Louisville and win the natty if he stays healthy. That team was a .500 team without him. A national champion with him. Magic Johnson called him the best point guard he ever faced. He was that good.
With that said, I love Luka and he's going down as one of the greatest Iowa players ever and probably the greatest center ever.
With that said, I love Luka and he's going down as one of the greatest Iowa players ever and probably the greatest center ever.
Anyone who saw Ronnie play in his prime would be hard pressed to put any other player above him, but Garza is certainly 1a. Both have that WOW factor.
