Dawson Garcia has had a very productive collegiate career. Now he hopes to hear his name called on draft night. Garcia was a McDonald’s All-American in 2020. He hopes to do something that has not been seen at Minnesota in almost 20 years. Cam Christie heard his name called in 2024; now Garcia hopes to hear his name called in the 2025 NBA Draft. If he is fortunate enough to hear his name called, it would be the first time Minnesota has had back-to-back years with a player drafted since 2003-04. Let’s dive into Dawson Garcia’s draft profile.
Dawson Garcia 2025 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Garcia’s collegiate career began at Marquette as he played with the Golden Eagles during the 2020-21 season. A high school standout, Garcia made an impact instantly for Marquette as he finished his freshman season averaging 13 points per game and was a great rebounder with 6.6 boards per game. Despite the big season as a freshman, Dawson was looking for more, so he hit the transfer portal.
That led him to North Carolina to play for the Tar Heels during the 2021-22 season. His production wasn’t as good with the Tar Heels, as he only played in 16 games. It was during that time that he took a leave of absence from the team due to family health issues. He eventually left the Tar Heels to move back home to be with his family. It also led to him transferring back to his hometown team, Minnesota, and the Big Ten.
Garcia would play three more seasons of ball for the Gophers, finishing with an average of 15 or more points in each of those seasons. That includes a career-best 19.2 points per game this past season. He also earned All-Big Ten honors twice during his career. Despite the Minnesota team struggling as a whole in 2024-25, Garcia proved to be one of the best players in the Big Ten.
Strengths
Dawson has great size at 6-foot-11. He showcased a natural ability to stretch the floor. Despite his size, more than just a post-player. He isn’t afraid to play the post-up game, but is a solid threat from deep, as a career 35 percent three-point shooter. His three-point shooting saw its best mark in, 2024-25 as he shot 37 percent from beyond the arc. Garcia wasn’t afraid to be the go-to scorer for Minnesota, and has always had a knack for making timely plays for his team. Moreover, Garcia has great mobility for his size and can get to the free-throw line. As a career 77-percent free-throw shooter, his free-throw percentage is elite for his size.
Can he continue to grow his game on the defensive end of the floor? With his bigger frame, he can body up against smaller fours, but what will he do when he squares up against guys like Kristaps Porziņģis? There is no doubt about his scoring potential, it’s just tough to see him being more than just a bench guy at the pro level.
Weaknesses
Sure, he could get rebounds, as he finished his collegiate career with an average of 6.7 rebounds per game. But he isn’t considered an elite rebounder. At his size, he should be able to get closer to 10 rebounds a night. Despite his strong shooting ability from outside, sometimes his shooting can be streaky. Garcia can be lazy on the defensive end of the floor. He certainly lacks the shot-blocking ability needed to excel at the NBA level. Garcia will struggle when forced into traffic he doesn’t lack the motor, but lacks elite-level athleticism. Garcia will certainly struggle against more athletic stretch forwards. His age certainly doesn’t help his cause.
Turning 24 in September, Garcia is one of the older players eligible for the 2025 Draft. His potential to continue to develop his game is going to be hindered by his age. Most teams in the NBA tend to avoid older players. There isn’t much he can do to change that. Garcia’s NBA Draft potential may have been better had he stayed in the draft the number of times he entered it in prior years.
NBA Comparison
The easiest comparison for Dawson Garcia doesn’t go based on his size. Garcia is a big-framed player. But his skill set certainly compares well to that of Brandon Ingram. Both players were known for their scoring, while also being able to grab rebounds. Certainly, Ingram had more upside and athletic ability when he was drafted early in the 2016 NBA Draft, but his all-around skill is the best comp for Dawson. Does it mean Dawson Garcia’s NBA Draft potential is set in stone? No, not at all. Garcia at least has the skill set to at least get a look in the NBA. Unfortunately, he may not hear his name called on draft night.
2025 NBA Draft Projection
Garcia projects to be a late second-round pick or an undrafted free agent.
Featured image: © Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
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