Ex-Iowa basketball star Luka Garza expected to be with Iowa Wolves for season opener on Friday
The Iowa Wolves will open the season with their biggest star on the court.
Former Iowa Hawkeyes basketball star Luka Garza was transferred to Iowa’s roster Thursday morning and is expected to be with the team when it begins the regular season Friday against the Windy City Bulls at Wells Fargo Arena at 7 p.m.
"Anytime I have the opportunity to suit up in the state of Iowa, it means a lot to me," Garza said.
Garza began the season in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played in just two games and averaged 3.5 points in only 3.0 minutes per contest. His addition to Iowa’s roster, likely temporary, is a huge move for the Iowa G League team, which will actually give away bobbleheads of the ex-Iowa star Friday night.
Garza was one of the most decorated players in Hawkeyes basketball history and ended his career as Iowa’s all-time leading scorer. Following his prolific college career, Garza was selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He played in 32 games with Detroit, which eventually declined his option.
Garza landed with the Timberwolves last season and spent a big part of the campaign in Minnesota, averaging 6.5 points in 28 games. His games in Des Moines were huge attractions and giant games for Garza, who averaged 31.2 points and 10.7 rebounds in six games with the Wolves.
Garza signed a two-way deal with Minnesota in the offseason. It's now brought him back to Iowa where he's expecting a big crowd of fans to see him and grab his new bobblehead Friday night. Garza got a glimpse of one Thursday and was pleased with how it turned out.
"It definitely looks like me a little bit," he said. "They did a really good job. They got the hair right. They got everything."
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Former Iowa star Luka Garza expected to play for Iowa Wolves Friday
