Luka Garza Calls Out Michigan State’s Rims, Reflects on What NIL Could’ve Meant for His Iowa Legacy
It’s been nearly five years since Luka Garza last wore the black and gold of Iowa, but the All-American big man hasn’t forgotten everything about his college days-especially not his battles with Michigan State.
Now in the midst of a career-best season with the Boston Celtics, Garza joined teammate Derrick White’s podcast and didn’t hold back when the topic of the Spartans came up. Specifically, he took aim at the rims inside Michigan State’s Breslin Center, alleging that they weren’t exactly regulation-friendly.
“It’s the worst rim in college basketball,” Garza said. “You have to swish it, or it doesn’t go in.
I think they do it to themselves, so they’re down in the first half, and then they come back in the second half. Other teams come in the second half, and they can’t buy a bucket, and [Michigan State] always come back and wins.”
That’s a bold claim from a guy who knows a thing or two about scoring. Garza, who was the Associated Press National Player of the Year in 2021 and a two-time consensus All-American, played six games against Michigan State during his time at Iowa.
His record? Just 2-4 overall, and 1-2 in East Lansing.
And while the Hawkeyes did notch a blowout win at the Breslin Center during Garza’s senior year-a dominant 88-58 showing-his individual numbers on the road against the Spartans tell a different story. In three games at Michigan State, Garza shot a combined 12-for-42 from the field. That includes a rough 1-for-10 outing as a freshman and just 3-for-11 in his final trip there.
Compare that to how he played against the Spartans at home in Iowa City, and the contrast is hard to ignore. Garza shot a far more efficient 21-for-40 in three home games versus Michigan State. So when he says there was something off about that rim in East Lansing, he’s speaking from experience.
Of course, Garza’s college career wasn’t just about rivalries or shooting percentages. He was the face of Iowa basketball during a transformative era-one that ended just before the NCAA opened the door for athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness (NIL). And in the same podcast appearance, Garza opened up about how that shift might’ve changed his path entirely.
“The money would have been nice, but I think the downside to it is I probably would have had to transfer,” Garza said.
That’s a heavy thought. Garza was a fan favorite in Iowa City, a player who developed year after year and turned into one of the most dominant big men in the country. But he admitted that if NIL had been in place during his college years, the financial pull from bigger programs could’ve been too strong to ignore.
“I think also my development too, just going into another situation, who knows if I’m getting catered to as much as Iowa, and I’d already kind of built this rapport there. I’m glad I kinda didn’t have to deal with that, and I could wait to make that money in the NBA,” he said.
That “what if” speaks volumes about the balancing act athletes now face in the NIL era-chasing opportunity without sacrificing fit or development. For Garza, staying at Iowa meant continuity, growth, and a chance to cement his legacy. But it also meant missing out on what could’ve been significant earnings.
Fast forward to today, and Garza’s patience is paying off. After a year with the Pistons and three seasons with the Timberwolves (where he split time between the NBA and G-League), Garza signed a two-year, $5.5 million deal with the Celtics in July 2025.
Now, he’s making the most of that opportunity. Through 42 games this season, Garza is putting up career highs across the board-averaging 8.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 59% from the field and a lights-out 45.7% from three. He’s also logging a career-best 17.1 minutes per game, proving he belongs in Boston’s rotation.
So whether it’s calling out suspect rims in East Lansing or reflecting on the seismic shifts in college athletics, Luka Garza is speaking from a place of experience-and now, finally, from a place of stability in the NBA.
And if the rim really was bent in East Lansing? Well, Garza's numbers might just back him up.