Iowa to Retire Jerseys of Luka Garza, Roy Marble and More

I'll give it to the University of Iowa. After a little time for thought and reflection, they've finally gotten it right. Two-time national player of the year Luka Garza will return to Iowa City later this month to have his number officially retired by the school. But he won't be alone in that honor as three other Hawkeye greats will also have their jersey numbers in the rafters of Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Garza's career at Iowa needs no recap. He was amazing and was Iowa's first consensus player of the year. The school made plans to honor him by announcing it would retire his number 55. But then the discussion began about other numbers of Iowa basketball greats that weren't yet retired, among them Roy Marble. Marble held the school's career scoring record for over 30 years until Garza broke it. He was a key piece of the Iowa program that won over 100 games and nearly made the Final Four. On Wednesday, the University of Iowa announced that when Garza returns on February 22nd for his jersey retirement, Marble, and two other Iowa legends, will be joining him.

KCRG reports that along with Garza and Marble, the numbers of Chuck Darling and Murray Wier will also be retired. Wier and Darling were Iowa's first consensus All-Americans in basketball. The three will be honored at halftime of Iowa's home game that night against Michigan State.

I'll give the Iowa program this. They did eventually get things right. But the real shame is that other than Garza, the other three men won't get to experience this honor for themselves. Murry Wier passed away in 2016. Chuck Darling passed just last year in 2021. And Roy Marble died of cancer in 2015.

These Iowa greats deserved to see this honor in person.