Boston Celtics center Luka Garza was hoping to honor his grandfather's heritage and play for Bosnia and Herzegovina at EuroBasket this summer. That's according to a report from Jake Fischer of the Stein Line.
"Garza recently sent a letter to FIBA seeking the approval of basketball's international governing body to clear Garza to join the team as a naturalized player," Fischer reports.
"The family maintains optimism that Garza — who submitted paperwork for his citizenship and received his passport at 21 — will ultimately be cleared by FIBA to join the national team."
If he gets the green light, he will join a Bosnia and Herzegovina team that most notably includes Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic.
EuroBasket was an ideal environment for Neemias Queta to ramp up for his chance to be the Celtics' starting center. It could have also helped sharpen Garza's game before his opportunity for the most substantial role of his NBA career.
While deprived of playing for Bosnia and Herzegovina this summer, with EuroBasket over, FIBA will now hear Garza's appeal.
"It's a cause of utmost importance to Garza, who I'm told turned down multiple opportunities to play for various USA Basketball youth teams with the long-term goal of playing for Bosnia and Herzegovina," notes Fischer.
As for his next opportunity to suit up for this stunning Southeast European country located in the Balkan Peninsula, that could arrive in the summer of 2027.
"The 26-year-old could be eligible to play for his grandfather's country in the 2027 World Cup in Qatar as long as Bosnia and Herzegovina qualifies," states Fischer.
Luka Garza's opportunity with the Celtics
The four-year veteran started his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons. There, former Celtics center Kelly Olynyk was an early mentor of his. Garza spent the last three seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He went from sitting alongside players like Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to seeing them carve out their place in the league and sign the lucrative contracts that come with that.
Now, Garza aims to follow the blueprint that guided his former teammates to the success they've experienced after being in a similar situation to his. As he works to do so, he is readily aware of the importance of being able to contribute at both ends of the floor, rather than relying on his offensive impact.
"Every summer, there is a huge dedication to the defensive side of the ball and just maximizing what I can do on that side," Garza shared at an August appearance at The Track at New Balance, near his new team's practice facility, the Auerbach Center. There, the former AP Player of the Year helped run a youth basketball clinic for the Jr. Celtics presented by New Balance.
"I know the better I can get there, the better it's going to be for my career," continued Garza. "So, continuing to work on my hands, my ability to drop, read, and just be a high-IQ guy on that end. And then also, in different switch attacks and being able to guard guys and kind of do the best that I can, to read angles and read personnel to give me the advantage on that side of the ball. So, you know, those are all things I work on."
An expanded role affords him the chance to showcase his talent on offense. However, what he demonstrates on the other side of the ball could mean even more to how this season goes for him and the opportunities he earns after it.