Luka Garza becomes first Iowa men’s basketball player to earn Wooden Award All-America recognition

The announcement was made Wednesday by the Los Angeles Athletic Club

Iowa+center+Luka+Garza+goes+in+for+a+shot+during+a+men%E2%80%99s+basketball+game+between+Iowa+and+Penn+State+on+Saturday%2C+Feb.+29+at+Carver-Hawkeye+Arena.+The+Hawkeyes+defeated+the+Nittany+Lions+77-68.+

Nichole Harris

Iowa center Luka Garza goes in for a shot during a men’s basketball game between Iowa and Penn State on Saturday, Feb. 29 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 77-68.

Robert Read, Sports Editor


Luka Garza is the first Iowa men’s basketball player to be named to the John Wooden Award All-America Team. The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Joining Garza on the elite squad is Udoka Azubuike (Kansas), Devon Dotson (Kansas), Malachi Flynn (San Diego State), Obi Toppin (Dayton), Myles Powell (Seton Hall), Markus Howard (Marquette), Filip Petrusev (Gonzaga), Payton Pritchard (Oregon), and Cassius Winston (Michigan State).

The presentation of the John Wooden Award to the nation’s most outstanding men’s college basketball player will take place on April 7, during the 4 p.m. edition of SportsCenter on ESPN.

Garza was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and was awarded the Pete Newell Big Man of the Year Award in March. Five major news outlets have named Garza as its national player of the year.