University of Iowa center Luka Garza plans to go through the NBA Draft process without hiring an agent, the school announced on Friday.

By holding off on hiring an agent, the 6ft 11in junior retains his final year of eligibility if he chooses to return to campus next season.

Garza was the centrepiece of an Iowa team that finished ranked number 25 in last season’s final poll and rose to as high as number 17 during the season.

The 21-year-old averaged 23.2 points and 9.8 rebounds in 2019-20 on his way to being named the consensus Big Ten player of the year.

A native of Washington, DC, Garza scored 26.2 points per game during the 20-game conference schedule, the most by a Big Ten player in conference play since Glenn Robinson’s 1993-94 season. His impressive season garnered him numerous player-of-the-year awards and made him a finalist for the Naismith Trophy, which was won by Dayton’s Obi Toppin.

Garza said in a team release: "The NBA has been my dream since I started playing basketball as a kid and I'm going to do everything I can to pursue that.

"If it ends up not being the right time to make the move to the NBA, I'm excited about the potential of what my senior season as a Hawkeye could have in store."

Luka Garza to declare for NBA Draft while maintaining eligibility: https://t.co/GZKmD1W6cU | #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/Wu5vSi8W8M

— Iowa Basketball (@IowaHoops) April 10, 2020

Garza has gradually increased his versatility over his three-year career with the Hawkeyes and shot 35.8 percent from beyond the three-point line on 109 attempts last season.

Despite his improvements, Garza failed to be considered one of the top 60 available players in an ESPN mock draft on Thursday.

The 2020 draft is due to be held on June 25 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.