New Orleans Pelicans: 3 targets who could fall to end of 2020 NBA Draft

Luka Garza, Center/Stretch Forward Purdue University

Standing out this season, not only as one of the best players in his conference but as one of the best players in the country, Luka Garza might not have the hyper-athleticism of some prospects, but the towering center has serious game.

At 21-years-old, some teams will be turned off by Garza playing three full years of college basketball before cracking the big boards.

Regardless, he was phenomenal for the Purdue Boilermakers this season, posting 23.9 points (fifth in NCAA, first in Big 10), 9.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and with a 57.8% effective field goal rate.

During his time in college, Garza displayed strong interior finishing and defending skills, especially this season when he was probably the best interior player in the country.

Like Powell in a previous slide, Garza was named an NCAA First Team All-American for the 2019-2020 season.

Garza had awesome numbers last season for Purdue, but standing 6’11” and 265 pounds with limited mobility, his ability to stretch the floor will be his biggest chance to be a high-impact player in the NBA.

Shooting 35.8% on 3.5 attempts from three per game last season and 33.5% rate on 2.4 attempts throughout his college career, Garza was an adequate statistical shooter in college, but his size made him a much more fearsome threat for his competition.

The Pelicans have something solid in Nicolò Melli acting as a stretch forward right now, but he’s already 29-years-old and only under contract through the end of the 2020-2021 season.

While he might be a better college player than he ever will be in the pros, the upside of Luka Garza is really interesting, especially if the New Orleans Pelicans could help him find consistency in his jump shot.