IOWA CITY, Iowa — Senior Luka Garza became the University of Iowa’s first winner of the John R. Wooden Player of the Year Award. The announcement was made Tuesday evening by the Los Angeles Athletic Club during ESPN SportsCenter.

Garza, the most dominant player in men’s college basketball, swept all the major postseason awards (Wooden, Naismith, Associated Press, Oscar Robertson, NABC, Lute Olson, Sporting News) to become the consensus unanimous national player of the year for 2021. Garza

“Winning the Wooden Award means so much to myself and my family,” said Garza. “John Wooden was someone my grandfather was friends with, and someone who I was taught a lot about growing up. I studied the Pyramid, and many of his books to try and become the teammate and player that could win a championship. I can’t thank Coach McCaffery and his staff enough for their role in helping me develop on and off the floor. I have had amazing teammates along the way, and I would not be here without them. I want to thank my family for their undying support of me throughout my career. Lastly, thank you to the University of Iowa for changing my life. I am so proud to bring this award to the University of Iowa for the first time.”

Voting took place from March 15-22, 2021. As insisted upon by Coach Wooden at the Award’s creation 45 years ago, all players were certified by their universities as meeting or exceeding the criteria of the John R. Wooden Award.

2021 LUKA GARZA HONORS

• •  John R. Wooden Player of the Year Award & All-American
• •  Naismith Trophy
• •  Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award
• •  Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year
• •  Oscar Robertson Trophy
• •  NABC Division I Player of the Year
• •  Senior CLASS Award
• •  Sporting News, Basketball Times, The Athletic National Player of the Year
• •  Big Ten Men’s Basketball Player of the Year
• •  USBWA District VI Player of the Year
• •  NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year
• •  First Team All-America (NABC, Associated Press, Sporting News, USBWA)
• •  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Finalist
• •  Big Ten All-Tournament Team honoree
• •  Three-time Big Ten Player of the Week