It happened completely by chance. James Giacomazzi ran into the towering, seven-foot Luka Galić in the Colfax High School gym in Sacramento. Galić was visiting his friend, MVP guard Diego Maldonado. They were there to meet up and work out.
The Las Positas head coach was on a recruiting trip, mid-conversation with Maldonado in the gym.
Giacomazzi spotted Galić, as a hawk does, and immediately pounced on the opportunity. He approached the lofty stranger. They spoke casually. Giacomazzi mentioned he coaches at Las Positas College. Galić was familiar.
“A lot of guys told me if you’re deciding to play JUCO, Las Positas is a good fit for you,” Galić said.
Giacomazzi asked to see Galić’s film — the only thing the coach needed to see before inviting him to tour the campus.
“Really smooth, really slow,” Galić said about his visit to Las Positas. “It couldn’t have been better. … I decided to give it a shot.”
SIZE MATTERS with the Hawks. They have an Australian big man, Tedd Bigg-Wither, and a 7-footer from Croatia. (Photo Courtesy of @LukaaGalić)
The Hawks lost their first playoff game this past season to Sierra, after big man Ted Bigg-Wither fouled out. It was just one week later when Giacomazzi landed another big man in Galić. The Croatian center played last season for Miami Prep School.
Galić is expected to bolster the Hawks’ front court after losing five players from the regular rotation, including three entrenched starters. One of the bigger departures for Las Positas was sophomore Kodey Weary, who, for most of the season, provided the greatest inside presence for the Hawks. He committed to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida this spring. Weary averaged 14.4 points and 9.9 rebounds this past season. Las Positas also lost its leading scorer in Jaden Woodard, who averaged 18.0 points.
Galić could be a central piece in replenishing the Hawks’ talent pool.
Officially committed in February of 2026, Galić most recently played in the European Youth Basketball League, representing Ireland for the North Atlantic Basketball Academy and Miami Prep school, where he got his first taste of American basketball in Florida.
It was in Ireland he first met Diego Maldonado, a Sacramento native and a recent commit to the Hawks squad in the spring of 2026. The two didn’t know they would end up on the same team in Livermore, but their undeniable chemistry — built on their experience together overseas — will add to their impact on the Hawks’ court.
“I love him, he’s a goofy guy,” Maldonado said. “But when things get serious, he’s a good teammate, and he’s always there for his guys. I like that and I respect that about him.”
Both programs have been checkpoints for NBA players, including Kristaps Porziņģis, Lauri Markkanen, and Jonas Valančiūnas. These programs demonstrate quality development, making Galić’s presence even more anticipated and crucial to next year’s Hawks roster.
He graduated from ABF Academy in Hialeah, Florida, in June 2025 from a program that focused on “providing student-athletes with unique, next-generation sporting experiences while equipping them with the skills to succeed in both life and sports,” according to their website.
Galić’s commitment will be a major factor in bringing success and visibility to the program. The experience he will gain at Las Positas will serve as a bridge to a four-year program — a chance to adapt even more to the pace of American basketball and a step toward playing professionally in the United States.
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TOP PHOTO: Luka Galić, a seven-foot Croatian center, committed to Las Positas College in February 2026 and is expected to reinforce the Hawks’ frontcourt. (Photo Courtesy of @LukaaGalić)
Annie Moore is the Sports Editor of The Express. Follow her on X @SanJosAnnie.
