Iowa center Luka Garza was one of the best players in college basketball, but he has to prove to scouts that his skills will translate to the NBA. The Wooden Award winner was hoping to do that at the draft combine this week, but he was slowed by a groin injury, writes Mike Hlas of The Iowa Gazette.
Garza, who ranks 53rd on ESPN’s big board, was forced to sit out the combine scrimmages and was limited to athletic tests and shooting. His performances were among the worst in the shuttle run, sprint and vertical leap, but he was one of the most accurate shooters at the combine.
Garza calls himself “the best big-man shooter in the draft” and has dropped considerable weight as he prepares to turn pro. He is now 243 pounds after playing at 265 at Iowa and credits the change to hiring a dietitian and chef.
“I definitely know the criticisms about my game,” he said. “I’m trying to show I move better than they think. … To me, I welcome it. It’s a to-do list.”
There’s more from the combine:
- Tennessee’s Keon Johnson has been “the biggest standout” at the event, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports. Johnson made headlines this week when he broke the combine record with a 48-inch vertical leap, and he recorded the third-fastest sprint time as well. Hughes notes that Johnson, who is ranked eighth overall by ESPN, has more than just athleticism to offer. He can score, rebound and defend and is working to improve his ball-handling and shooting range.
- The measurements taken at the combine should help Florida State forward Scottie Barnes‘ chances of being selected in the top five, Hughes adds. Barnes is 6’8″ with a 7’3″ wingspan and has the third-largest hands in this year’s class. Hughes suggests the success of former Seminoles teammate Patrick Williams, who was taken at No. 4 last year by the Bulls, could also work to Barnes’ advantage.
- Former G League Ignite star Jonathan Kuminga generated “positive buzz” at today’s pro day, tweets Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report.
I mean.. we already know his comp. Bertans.
Who’s comp?— Garza?— no. Garza is thick even if he’s thin. Moves his feet cleverly offensively (but not near quickly enough defensively). More like a baby Jokic.
Poor Man’s Frank the Tank. Davis bertans is very athletic. And you really can’t compare anyone to Jokic. He’s a very unique player. Maybe Bill Walton and or Andrew Bogut with his passing ability, yet he scores way better so he has no comp outside of a young arvydas sabonis, who we did not get a chance to see much.
brook lopez.
White Mamba?
spaninsh/bosnian mamba.lol:)
I wonder if Barnes will get hyped into the top 4 picks? His name has been at the top of a lot of teams lists already.
Barnes > Suggs
Won’t happen because he’s not a great shooter yet. The Five Guys ranked ahead of him are definitely the ones you need to pick first because of their greater potential and better readiness now. Barnes slots right in at six seven or eight or so.
Barnes going 5 to the Magic
They love their length.
How’re you going to score down low
when you’re facing Barnes-Issac-Bamba
I have got Suggs at #5… so I don’t know ’bout Barnes… physical abilities & athleticism are not very exciting to me, I’d rather someone with skills & fundamentals, but that just me!
No one is scoring with those guys unfortunately that would include the magic as well
Barnes vs Kuminga would probably see Kuminga win… But as a game stretched out, and 10 players on the court, maybe Barnes?
This is a good draft for wings.
I could see the thunder using one of their 3 second rounders on him. (Assuming they don’t trade them all away which is a real possibility.)
Him being Garza.
Garza can shoot and he has an offensive mindset, but who can he guard? Big men have a perimeter game now. Unless you’re a rim protector, and he’s not, you’ve got to defend the 3-point line as a big man and be able to switch to guards on the pick-and-roll. Not happening with this guy.
Hence the second rounder on him. There’s literally a glut of bigs in the league who also don’t do any of what you mentioned. If you can shoot, you can play in the league. Maybe only as a bench player, but still.
Agreed, I have him going to OKC or NOP depending on his the rest of the draft pans out.
It’s funny with these athletic measurements and not to pick on Keon Johnson or how he measured out, but sometimes the vertical leap test and maybe some others don’t really translate into an athletic basketball skill set.
This might be the rarest of examples but I can remember Harrison Barnes tested really well in the vertical and of course watching him play you could really see it on dunks and other things. But Harrison Barnes was not an athletic player so to speak. He wasn’t a high flyer coming down the wing and slamming balls home or athletic put back jams.
He was more a mechanical two dribbles and a pull-up jumper or stuff like that. Very regimented and upright and predictable offensive skill-set. No flash. Maybe Barnes was the only guy out of a million to be that way but just pointing it out as strange that sometimes incredible vertical leap doesn’t translate to Dynamic athletic player.
Barnes moved like a deluxe 440 guy in the offseason. 400 meters now. Yes he would have to pull up though so his dribble doesn’t get taken. Well this should be in present tense.
Barnes could easily end up being the best player in this draft. But, right now, he doesn’t shoot well enough to be considered a true perimeter player, meaning he’d have to play as a 4. That, for me, would put him behind the top tier of players in this draft. That also distinguishes him (unfavorably) from Pat Williams. Physically, he’s a bigger version of the guy, with perhaps even more freakish athleticism.
I think this is a tough draft from #6-14 or so. I see trades of those picks being possible. #1-5, the only trades I see will involve another #1-5.
But, can he be a 1 is the tease. Scottie Barnes.
Ya know we were talking about Harrison Barnes before. Just checking