How Luka Garza Found His Way To Iowa.

MelroseHawkins

MelroseHawkins

Well-Known Member
Great article touching on why Div 1 teams didn't recruit him hard, how McCaffery and Iowa got in and his reasons for coming to Iowa. Very interesting read and and brings everything together about his journey to Iowa. We have an All-American that landed in our lap. Hard work trumps athleticism.Talk about finding a diamond in the rough. I just can't believe he was passed on by so many. One would think Div 1 coaches and recruiters would have noticed his basketball IQ, post positioning/moves and work ethic. This just proves how recruiting can be so weird at times.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports...0200110-ve7cpukqyrajpftjrb44yelqgq-story.html
 
MelroseHawkins said:
Great article touching on why Div 1 teams didn't recruit him hard, how McCaffery and Iowa got in and his reasons for coming to Iowa. Very interesting read and and brings everything together about his journey to Iowa. We have an All-American that landed in our lap. Hard work trumps athleticism.Talk about finding a diamond in the rough. I just can't believe he was passed on by so many. One would think Div 1 coaches and recruiters would have noticed his basketball IQ, post positioning/moves and work ethic. This just proves how recruiting can be so weird at times.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports...0200110-ve7cpukqyrajpftjrb44yelqgq-story.html
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Good article.

I’m not sure if I agree with the he fell in our lap thing. Fran needs to get a ton of credit for noticing Garza’a talent before others did and building the relationship.

The article kind of explains why he was passed on by so many at a younger age, he was overweight. His work ethic is obviously amazing and what allowed him to improve. He ended as a 4* prospect with offers from Notre Dame, Indiana, and Louisville.
 
1hawkeye1 said:
I just think most top teams don't want projects. Or maybe can't afford to wait on them. Coaches gotta win now or their gonna get fired.
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Exactly. Blue blood schools don’t need to take risks when they are consistently pulling in dudes that are 4* and 5* players ready to contribute.

Garza got there as a senior and that’s why he ended as a 4* with some pretty good offers but Fran had already developed that relationship. He’s continued to improve a ton with his amazing work ethic.
 
Here’s another interesting tidbit or reminder for Iowa fans. That recruiting cycle Fran almost landed a 5* in Malik Williams who went to Louisville (after they agreed to take his brother too).

At the time I’m sure we were bummed missing him but Garza has turned out to be way better. Williams doesn’t start for Louisville and hasn’t been much more than a role player. Another one of the countless examples that the recruiting rankings are at best imperfect.
 
Its a hell of an article. Just shows that hard work can payoff as well as talent. You look at big guys like Frank Kaminsky or Adreian Payne...those guys didn't do shit their first 2 years in college and then really blew up on the scene in a huge way. Garza is in the same boat only his stats are surpassing both of those guys. We're witnessing something amazing for sure.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
Great article touching on why Div 1 teams didn't recruit him hard, how McCaffery and Iowa got in and his reasons for coming to Iowa. Very interesting read and and brings everything together about his journey to Iowa. We have an All-American that landed in our lap. Hard work trumps athleticism.Talk about finding a diamond in the rough. I just can't believe he was passed on by so many. One would think Div 1 coaches and recruiters would have noticed his basketball IQ, post positioning/moves and work ethic. This just proves how recruiting can be so weird at times.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports...0200110-ve7cpukqyrajpftjrb44yelqgq-story.html
Click to expand...
Nice find on the article. What I take away from it is if it wasn't for CM and him traveling around in HS Fran would have never seen Garza play. So those of you saying CM isn't worth a scholly can go fly a kite for if no other reason then this. I may be fuzzy on my memory with the timing of his recruitment and all but around that time Ewing was hired by Georgetown and I was afraid after he'd committed to us he may look at them. But that didn't seem to ever go anywhere. Fran can spot young talent/potential gotta give him that. He hasn't always been able to close on kids to get them but when it comes to diamonds he can see them coming before they are finished products.
 
mopkins said:
Its a hell of an article. Just shows that hard work can payoff as well as talent. You look at big guys like Frank Kaminsky or Adreian Payne...those guys didn't do shit their first 2 years in college and then really blew up on the scene in a huge way. Garza is in the same boat only his stats are surpassing both of those guys. We're witnessing something amazing for sure.
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He is fun as hell to watch.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
Nice find on the article. What I take away from it is if it wasn't for CM and him traveling around in HS Fran would have never seen Garza play. So those of you saying CM isn't worth a scholly can go fly a kite for if no other reason then this. I may be fuzzy on my memory with the timing of his recruitment and all but around that time Ewing was hired by Georgetown and I was afraid after he'd committed to us he may look at them. But that didn't seem to ever go anywhere. Fran can spot young talent/potential gotta give him that. He hasn't always been able to close on kids to get them but when it comes to diamonds he can see them coming before they are finished products.
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If CM isn't playing for IA, they're a .500 team this year!!
 
I wonder what Garza would have done last year if Cook either wasn't on the team or if Fran would have run the offense through Garza instead of Cook. Was Garza ready for a bigger role and wrongfully didn't get it? His production last year probably says yes. His foul troubles and defense probably says no. It's interesting to think about tho.
 
PCHawk said:
I wonder what Garza would have done last year if Cook either wasn't on the team or if Fran would have run the offense through Garza instead of Cook. Was Garza ready for a bigger role and wrongfully didn't get it? His production last year probably says yes. His foul troubles and defense probably says no. It's interesting to think about tho.
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Two things.1) I think Garza has gotten in better shape or condition. 2) Luka had that 8 lb cyst deal excised from him prior to last season. I also think it's a confidence thing that he knows he has to be the guy so is balling it now.
 
Is it me or does Fran seem to get on so many guys early? Closing them has been an issue but no ones 100%
 
Hawkfnntn said:
I can stand some of the crap CM has gotten. Dude may not be a 5 star caliber Duke type. But he's a smart tough player. He's going to get even better yet too. He's a dang good player and it's a good thing we've had him.
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I saw he's shooting 34% (I think) from 3 now this year. Considering he has to end up taking all the end of shot clock shots all the time, that's pretty darn good. With his size and ball handling ability, he seems to be able to get a shot off whenever he wants too. If his shot keeps improving, he will be a pretty good offensive weapon over the next two years.
 
PCHawk said:
I wonder what Garza would have done last year if Cook either wasn't on the team or if Fran would have run the offense through Garza instead of Cook. Was Garza ready for a bigger role and wrongfully didn't get it? His production last year probably says yes. His foul troubles and defense probably says no. It's interesting to think about tho.
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I'd say he wasn't ready until possibly after Christmas break last year. You have to remember he had a 9 pound cyst removed from his abdomen the summer before and took at least 6 weeks off after the surgery. Then he had to work like crazy to get into game shape.
 
InGoodCo said:
Is it me or does Fran seem to get on so many guys early? Closing them has been an issue but no ones 100%
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I think that is Fran's biggest issue. He finds these guys and gets in on them before anyone else does, but then they blow up and get lured away by the big guys. Look at all of the guys that have played big for us that didn't have any P5 offers.
 
HawkeyeDug said:
I think that is Fran's biggest issue. He finds these guys and gets in on them before anyone else does, but then they blow up and get lured away by the big guys. Look at all of the guys that have played big for us that didn't have any P5 offers.
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Right, I find it hard to blame him to much when a bigger school swoops in. It’s not like he was asleep at the wheel and didn’t try. He gave them a lot of effort and ultimately they went somewhere else. I can live with that. Again, no coach is landing 100%. He’s also pretty good at developing that talent, so even when we miss out on a guy he seems to find a way to put a competitive team on the court
 
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