Iowa to retire Luka Garza's number at end of season
The No. 5 Iowa Hawkeyes will retire Luka Garza's No. 55 at the end of the season, the team announced Sunday after a 77-73 win over Wisconsin.
Garza was brought to tears when the announcement was made. The 22-year-old center specifically thanked head coach Fran McCaffery and his teammates as he addressed fans at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
"Thank you, Hawkeye nation," Garza said. "I love this place."
Earlier this week, McCaffery said it's a "no-brainer" for the school to retire Garza's No. 55. He is Iowa's all-time leading scorer with 2,201 points.
In Sunday's win over Wisconsin, Garza notched 21 points and 16 rebounds to help the Hawkeyes finish the regular season 20-7.
The Washington D.C. native finished the regular season averaging 23.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 55.3% from the field and 45% from deep. He is a semifinalist for the Naismith Player of the Year Trophy this season and has also won several other honors throughout his career.
In ESPN's latest mock draft, Garza is projected to be selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft.
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