RELATED: Luka Garza facing NBA decision with much still unknown. With Iowa center Luka Garza announcing he will return for his senior season in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes immediately vault into the top of the Big Ten race and, potentially, the pool of teams who can realistically challenge for the Final Four.Garza also immediately projects as a national player of the year favorite.Hawkeye fans around the state were abuzz with the news Sunday. From underdog to overachiever: The Luka Garza Chronicles. I love my teammates, coaches, community, fans and university. "That's interesting," he said when it was brought up. Hawkeye fans around the state were abuzz with the …

It would have been way too hard to close the book without the last chapter.”The 6-foot-11, 260-pound center from Washington, D.C., scored 20 or more points in the last 16 games of his junior season, the longest streak by an Iowa player since 1971. “Luka has an opportunity to advance himself professionally, but instead, he is thinking more about the program and his teammates.

Editors Note: This is part V of "From Underdog to Overachiever: The Chronicles of Luka Garza."
"I just hope it reflects positively on the university and on the team. His 23.9 points per game ranked fifth nationally, and his 26.2-point average in conference games was the highest since Purdue’s Glenn Robinson averaged 31.1 in 1994.“He is willing to bet on himself, which shows tremendous confidence,” McCaffery said. He led the Hawkeyes to 20 wins and a likely NCAA Tournament bid if it had not been for the coronavirus pandemic, which caused the tournament to be canceled.Garza was a consensus first-team All-American and runner-up for Associated Press national player of the year.“Luka’s decision is incredibly unselfish and heartwarming,” coach Fran McCaffery said. Be sure to check out the first four parts by clicking here. Iowa should be a preseason top-10 team. )The Athletic's Dana O'Neil thinks Garza's return puts the Hawkeyes in contention for a national title in 2020-21.NBC Sports' Rob Dauster calls Iowa a "top ten team with Final Four potential.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Big Ten player of the year Luka Garza announced Sunday he is withdrawing from the NBA draft and will return to Iowa for his senior season.

He will retain his eligibility.
With Iowa center Luka Garza announcing he will return for his senior season in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes immediately vault into the top of the Big Ten race and, potentially, the pool of teams who can realistically challenge for the Final Four.. Garza also immediately projects as a national player of the year favorite.

Garza was named Iowa’s third consensus All-American in program history, joining Murray Wier (1948) and Charles Darling (1952). Either the 6-foot-11 center follows up his record-breaking junior season at Iowa by coming back for his senior year, or he turns professional and keeps his name in the 2020 NBA Draft. His 15 double-doubles were the most by an Iowa player since 2002.

FILE – In this Feb. 20, 2020, file photo, Iowa center Luka Garza celebrates after making a basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Ohio State in Iowa City, Iowa. But Garza, who is up to 3,709 Twitter followers, doesn't think "fame" is the right word to describe what has happened to him. The 6-10 senior is now the clear favorite for National Player of the Year honors. Garza informed McCaffery two days later, his roommates Sunday morning, and the rest of the team later Sunday during a Zoom meeting before holding a news conference at 12:15 p.m. (CT).