The Detroit Pistons traded one big man in Mason Plumlee on draft day, and took another one in the second round with the selection of Luka Garza with the 52nd pick.
Garza saw nothing but success as a big man at Iowa over four decorated seasons. Now, he gets to find out if that game translates to the pros. We’ve made jokes about Troy Weaver’s love of big men since the moment he was hired, but Garza is a big man only big man could love. He’s a big, thick force down low, and he’s not afraid to throw his weight around.
He combines that with a surprisingly deft touch around the rim and with a functional deep ball. He shot 44% from three his senior year, but that mark might be a bit of a mirage after three seasons hitting 34%, 29% and 35%, respectively.
He’s a big man from a bygone era, and he nothing that made him such a force in college might translate to the NBA. That’s why he was available in the 50s instead of the middle part of the first round like a lot of previous Wooden award winners.
The Pistons now have some emergency big man depth, a big to develop on the Motor City Cruise, and if he can get his game to translate, he could turn into a productive big man.