Sixers Hosted Iowa's Luka Garza for a Pre-Draft Workout

The Sixers reportedly hosted Iowa center Luka Garza for a pre-draft workout this week.
Sixers Hosted Iowa's Luka Garza for a Pre-Draft Workout
Sixers Hosted Iowa's Luka Garza for a Pre-Draft Workout /

We're now just a week away from the 2021 NBA Draft. As it stands, the Philadelphia 76ers hold two draft picks. One in the first round and another in the second. Last season, the Sixers got some pretty substantial value out of the three draft selections they kept and used.

After landing University of Kentucky guard Tyrese Maxey in the first round and Arkansas' Isaiah Joe and DePaul's Paul Reed in the later round, many would say Daryl Morey and Elton Brand had a home run draft last year.

Now, the Sixers' front office is doing all the research they can to try and have repeat results as the big event approaches. So, over the last couple of weeks, the Sixers have been hosting prospects for private workouts at the team's practice facility in Camden, New Jersey.

On Wednesday, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Iowa standout Luka Garza was one of the handful of prospects the Sixers hosted recently.

Garza, who stands nearly seven feet tall, just wrapped up his fourth season in the NCAA. Coming out of Maret School in Washington D.C. in 2017, Garza was a four-star recruit who committed to the Hawkeyes, passing up offers from other notable programs.

During his freshman season, Garza started in 26 of 33 games. Averaging 21 minutes on the floor, he put up 12 points per game while shooting 55-percent from the floor and 35-percent from three. He also collected 6.4 rebounds and averaged a block per game.

Although he had significant playing time as an underclassman, Garza really made a name for himself during his junior and senior seasons. Over the last two years, he averaged 23 points per game while draining 40-percent of his threes. 

[MUST READ: Luka Garza's Draft Profile]

It's no secret the Sixers could use a stretch big. While Garza might not be a player that could be inserted into the rotation right away, he could be a valuable second-round pick that is sure to develop into an ideal backup for Joel Embiid if the Sixers decide to select the Iowa big man next week.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.


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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA