When Luka Garza stepped onto the scale this week at the NBA draft combine, the former Iowa center made headlines once the final reading was recorded.
Garza was consistently listed at 265 pounds last season at Iowa. For a player attempting to transform his game from a back-to-the-basket player to the uptempo style in the NBA, Garza knew he had to shed pounds and hit the weight room.
Well, he did that and then some.
He officially weighed in at 242.8 pounds at the NBA draft combine this week with 11.7% body fat. The process of dropping that extra weight was among his biggest goals preparing for the NBA, and Garza said he isn’t done.
“It was a lot that went into it,” Garza told Mike Schmitz of ESPN. “I started working with a dietician and a chef and that helped a lot. Also, just working out and working a lot and working hard on my body. It has definitely paid off.
“I know I need to be a little lighter going into the NBA game, not as much posting up. I was posting up 47% of the time (last season), so I need to do that a little bit less and get on the outside more. I recognize that and that’s why I made the change.”
Slimmed down Luka Garza in lane agility. Worth watching with scouts big concern being mobility, ability to defend in space pic.twitter.com/zqdRJnA26a
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) June 23, 2021
Garza finished his career at Iowa as the 2021 consensus national player of the year and a two-time first-team All-American. He averaged 24.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 31 games last season on 44% shooting from 3-point range.
He enters the combine projected to be a second-round pick, but he wants to help improve that stock with a positive showing. He believes he is the best shooting big man in the draft, and that figures to be highly beneficial at the next level.
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Of course, questions linger regarding his fit in the modern NBA and ability on defense, but he could be a good steal candidate in the second round. Certainly, his resume alone should warrant a look at some point in the draft.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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