IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Los Angeles Athletic Club announced on Friday its All-Americans and five finalists for the 2021 Wooden Award, 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 esteemed award are Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham, Ayo Dosunmu of Illinois, and Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert.
Garza has already been named the national player of the year by Sporting News, Basketball Times, and The Athletic. Garza, who is Iowa’s first two-time unanimous first-team All-American, is also a finalist for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, Senior CLASS Award, and Lute Olson Award.
Garza (6-foot-11, 265 pounds) led the nationally-ranked Hawkeyes to 22 victories and a third place Big Ten finish in 2021. The Washington, D.C., native led the nation in total points (747); player efficiency rating (35.84); 30-point games (8); field goals made (281); and 20-point games (22). Garza ranked fifth nationally in free throw attempts (199), eighth in free throw makes (141), and 11th in double-doubles (13). His 747 points bested his previous school single-season record of 740 points set last season.
In his final game as a Hawkeye, Garza poured in 36 points and cleared nine rebounds. The 36 points are the most points scored by any Division I player in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and ties Bill Logan’s school record set against Temple 65 years ago on March 22, 1956.