DES MOINES, Iowa — The Drake men's basketball team is in the middle of its season and looking to capture another conference title.
It's a team full of uniqueness, starting with senior point guard Garrett Sturtz.
"He's maybe the most unique player I've coached in 23 years," head coach Darian Devries said.
Sturtz said he would describe himself as unique too. At just 6 feet 3 inches tall, he's third in the league for rebounds per game.
"He barely jumps over a phone book, so its pretty impressive," Devries said. "You know he's got just a knack for the ball, or he's just extremely lucky."
Sturtz was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Bench and Scholar Athlete teams in 2020. He averaged just over eight points per game last season. This season, he's second on the team in points per game and leads the team in rebounds.
And his uniqueness comes in many forms—including a hard hat.
"I found the hard hat in the closet, and I thought we had to incorporate it into the team this year," Sturtz said.
It travels with him from practices to both home and away games.
"You take that helmet off of his back, you better be able to back it up," said freshman guard Tucker Devries.
The hard hat represents something more for Sturtz and his teammates.
"Just a constant reminder for myself and teammates, that every time we cross this line, every time we walk into the building that its time to go work, doesn't matter how you feel," he said. "You feel great or feel bad, were here to work and get better as an unit."
Next up, the Bulldogs face UNI Saturday at 6 p.m.
WATCH | Drake basketball commits to community service with hometown team game