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During the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, all eyes will be on Luka Garza. Lining up for the Iowa Hawkeyes, the 22-year-old is seemingly on the cusp of making a breakthrough move to the National Basketball Association. However, despite his impressive college figures, the Washington-born center will need to prove himself during March Madness in 2021 ahead of the NBA draft. So, let’s delve into whether or not Garza could make the step up.

Iowa’s All-Time Leading Scorer

At college level, it’s not outlandish to argue that Garza is currently the circuit’s best player. Although that doesn’t guarantee that he’d cut it in the NBA, it undoubtedly bodes well. To support that claim, in 2020, the 22-year-old became only the third major conference player to score 25 points and shoot 90 percent from the field in consecutive games over the past 25 seasons. Following his impressive form in recent years, KCRG reports that he’s now Iowa’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing the existing record of 2,116 points.

Despite being a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, Garza has yet to attain the March Madness title. Moreover, to say that Iowa is likely to succeed in 2021 is somewhat brave given the competition’s unpredictability. This post from Betway on the NCAA Tournament’s bracket states that predictors are 3,610 times more likely to win the lottery than pick a perfect set of results. To date, nobody has come closer to an impeccable bracket than Gregg Nigl, who successfully guessed the first 49 games correctly in 2019. As a result of Garza’s point-scoring capabilities, many may opt for Iowa as the tournament winners, but they’re unlikely to do so in a flawless bracket.

NBA Scouts Don’t Appear Convinced

For all of Garza’s talent, NBA sides aren’t battling for his signature. According to Sports Casting, the 22-year-old may not be a top-five pick and may have to settle for a career as a rotation option at the top level. In light of not being regarded as a first-rounder, Garza must use this to improve his game and prove long-standing NBA scouts wrong. However, perceptions regarding the center’s future are continually changing.

Now, the latest NBA mock draft foresees that he’ll land 45th overall at the San Antonio Spurs. With an average of 26.4 points, it’s clear to see why the six-foot-eleven player is piquing teams’ interests, even in spite of unconvinced scouts. Although lacking in athleticism compared to other breakthrough prospects, Garza is competent both defensively and offensively. If a move to San Antonio Spurs came to fruition, he would undoubtedly benefit from working under Becky Hammon, the team’s assistant coach.

The Foundations to Make the Step Up

Now that the NCAA is aiding progression to the NBA, there’s nothing stopping Garza from making a name for himself as a top-level player. Of course, he’s not the perfect player, but his ability to score points makes him an intriguing proposition. Although he’s a little older than those who typically progress from college level, he still has room to grow and adapt his game. As such, an opportunity in the NBA may come his way in 2021.