Luka Garza earns consensus First-Team All-American status after NABC honor

The awards just keep piling up for Iowa basketball’s Luka Garza.

The National Association of Basketball Coaches named Garza a First-Team All-American on Tuesday. He’s the first Hawkeye in the program’s history to be named a first teamer, as Ronnie Lester (1979) and Jarrod Uthoff (2016) were both named to the NABC’s third team.

This recognition elevates Garza to consensus All-American status. Garza has first-team honors from the NABC, Sporting News, AP, and United States Basketball Writers Association. He’s just the third Hawkeye in program history to reach consensus First-Team All-American status (Murray Wier in 1948 and Charles Darling in 1952).

It’s another accomplishment for Garza, who averaged 23.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game this season en route to earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors.

ESPN, Bleacher Report, Stadium, Basketball Times, and Sporting News all tabbed Garza as their respective National Player of the Year. Dick Vitale, Seth Davis, and Andy Katz did as well.

What’s left for Garza? The junior is up for the Naismith Trophy, Oscar Robertson Trophy, Wooden Award, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, and the Lute Olson Award.

*Whispers* There’s a good chance Garza walks away with all five awards.