When Luka Garza first arrived in Minnesota, his NBA career was at a bit of a crossroads.
Selected in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2021 draft by the Detroit Pistons after a standout career at Iowa — where he was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, a two-time consensus All-American, and the national player of the year — the 6-foot-10 big man was cut by the Pistons after just one season. During that year, he split his time between Detroit and its G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise.
“I was in a tough part of my career,” he recalled. “I just got cut by Detroit, so I really didn’t know what my future held.”
Garza’s confidence had taken a hit. He had arrived in Detroit on an Exhibit 10 contract, a one-year, fully non-guaranteed deal designed to give him a chance to prove himself in training camp.
But it quickly began to return as he took part in workouts alongside Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, and others.
“Working with them every day, I just felt like I was improving at a high level, especially going against Naz, him testing me on both ends, just with his versatility,” Garza said. “Also, seeing the way that they work and approach the game, it just helped me a lot. And I think throughout the course that summer and preseason, I was able to really gain a lot of my confidence back that I lost from my rookie season. And I think that just really set me up for the rest of my career.”
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch remembers those workouts fondly, calling them a turning point in Luka Garza’s development and a summer that set the tone for his growth as a professional.
“I think the key summer was the summer that Naz, Jaden, and Luka all worked out. They spent the summer in Minnesota and worked out every day, and then they’d go out to dinner at night, and that was really a breakout season for Jaden and Naz,” Finch said. “And it was, in some ways, for Luka, too. He played spot minutes for us that year. But there were times when he would come in and win us a quarter, almost all by himself. So that was what I remember most.”
For Reid, the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year, Garza’s presence in practice was invaluable, pushing him to improve.
“I think he helped me big time. Being able to guard me in practice, he helped me get real game reps and all that good stuff,” Reid said. “And then, obviously, his game speaks for itself. I mean, he’s helped me more than I’ve helped him. I could tell him X, Y, and Z, but he’s always had game.”
Garza’s path wasn’t as linear as Reid’s or McDaniels’, who played 68 and 79 games, respectively, that season. But he leaned into the work, committing to the gym and quickly becoming a tone-setter for Minnesota’s younger players and the stay-ready group.
“He committed to the weight room. He became an incredible ambassador, if you will, an example for our young players, the guys who didn’t play heavy minutes, or young players,” Finch said. “He was kind of the leader of that pack. His positivity was off the charts. He set such an example of working. Just a tireless worker in the gym all the time, and just always supportive and positive.”
Although he appeared in just 92 games for the Timberwolves, all off the bench, averaging 6.3 minutes per contest, Garza still made his presence felt.
His limited playing time wasn’t a reflection of his talent, but the result of a crowded frontcourt featuring players Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid.
“He is a good player. We knew that from our time with him here,” Finch said. “We just didn’t have quite the pathway to play him with all the bigs that we had. But he certainly helped us over the years. He was an unbelievable professional and a great person. I’m happy for his success.”
In Boston, Garza is seeing the fruits of his labor, making the most of the opportunity he has been waiting for throughout his NBA career.
He’s become a reliable backup big for the Celtics, impacting the game with his motor, offensive rebounding, screening, and floor spacing. He leads the team with a 13.2% offensive rebounding percentage, ranks second in screen assists per game (2.4), and tops the team in three-point percentage at 43.0% on 1.8 attempts per game.
He has come a long way since he first arrived in Minnesota on an Exhibit 10 deal, a journey that comes as no surprise to the players and coaches who trained alongside him.
“Good to see him actually get real minutes, play, and affect the game. We all know he can,” Reid said. “It’s just good to see it being done on another team and in a real game situation. That goes to the work that he’s put in, the way he changed his body, the hard work and dedication that he brings to the game. I’m sure they love him here. We loved him in Minnesota, so I can only imagine how it is in Boston.”
Garza has found his footing in Boston. This season, he has consistently stepped up for the Celtics, helping quiet many of the questions surrounding their frontcourt that were so prominent in the offseason.
For Garza, none of this progress would have been possible without the lessons and experiences he gained in Minnesota, a journey that came back into focus for him on Sunday night.
“I try not to spend too much time in the past, but I always take a second at different points in the season, and just kind of appreciate where I’m at in general,” he said. “I think all the things that I’ve gone through this year, the reason I’ve been able to get through them were because of those experiences in Minnesota. So it’s definitely important to look back on those moments and use them to kind of help you in the future.”
Related
