BOSTON — It’s said that iron sharpens iron, so it make sense that Boston Celtics center Luka Garza is testing his mettle against some of the best big men in the world this offseason. On Wednesday, the 27-year-old announced his plans to play for Bosnia and Herzegovina during this summer’s European Qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup.
Although Garza was born in the United States, his mother, Šejla Muftić, is from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The soon-to-be second-year Celtic obtained dual citizenship years ago and represented the small European nation in 2023 as part of the Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament. His 2026 return will take place in early July and feature matchups with Turkey and Serbia.
It’s not a coincidence that those two countries roster elite talent at the five spot. Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün is Turkey’s young leader and Serbia is helmed by one of the best centers in NBA history: 3-time MVP Nikola Jokić. If Garza wants to compete with the most talented guys at his position in order to hone his skills in the offseason, this is his chance.
While rumors are flying about the Celtics’ roster plans and to what degree de facto general manager Brad Stevens will tweak the team, it’s worth noting that Garza is under contract next season for an affordable $2.8 million. The 6-foot-10 big put together the best year of his career with the Celtics and averaged career-highs across the board through 69 regular-season games.
The 2026 NBA Playoffs weren’t as eventful for Garza, but he still saw the floor in every game of the Celtics’ first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston eventually fell in 7 games to Philly, leaving plenty of question marks about the Green Team’s future.
Despite this organizational uncertainty, Garza made it clear that he enjoys being in Boston.
Luka Garza on being in Boston and his potential future here:
“I love it here. I feel like I fit the culture here…and what they’re trying to do.”
“Very thankful to be here. I hope I can be here a while. I know that winning comes with this city, and I want to win.” pic.twitter.com/cEjdOBSAIQ
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) May 3, 2026
“I hope I can be here a while,” he said during his exit interview in early May. “I know that winning comes with this city, and I want to win.”
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Luka Garza plans to take on international talent in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers