IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Thursday the four finalists vying for the honor of the 2021 Naismith Trophy, which includes University of Iowa men’s basketball senior center Luka Garza. The prestigious award recognizes the most outstanding men’s college basketball player.
Joining Garza as a finalist for the prestigious award are Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham, Ayo Dosunmu of Illinois, and Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert.
Hawkeye fans can vote for Garza from March 19-31, by visiting naismithfanvote.com. Fans may also vote on the @NaismithTrophy Twitter page. The fan vote will account for five percent of the overall vote.
Garza has already been named the national player of the year by Sporting News and Basketball Times. Garza, who is a two-time unanimous first-team All-American, is also a finalist for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, Wooden Award, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, Senior CLASS Award, and Lute Olson Award.
Garza (6-foot-11, 265 pounds) has led the eighth-ranked Hawkeyes to 21 victories this season, including wins in eight of their last 10 contests. The Washington, D.C., native leads the nation in total points (687); player efficiency rating (35.84); 30-point games (7); field goals made (258); and 20-point games (19). Garza is seventh nationally in free throw makes (134) and attempts (188), and 10th in double-doubles (13).