Iowa Star Bennett Stirtz Is an NBA Draft Pick: What He Brings to the League

Bennett Stirtz is taking his talents to the NBA, bringing no shortage of skills to immediately impact the game, just as he did at Iowa.

Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (14) dribbles the ball against the Florida Gators in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

It was really only a matter of if, not when, former Iowa Hawkeyes star point guard Bennett Stirtz was going to hear his name called in the 2026 NBA Draft.

With the No. 16 pick in the first round, Bennett Stirtz was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies, then promptly traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

What about his Iowa career will make him great at the next level?

Why Bennett Stirtz's Game Is Built for the NBA

Sources: Memphis is trading No. 16 pick Bennett Stirtz to the Oklahoma City Thunder for two second-round picks.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2026

The former point guard at Northwest Missouri State, Drake, and Iowa has taken the road not just less traveled, but the road that barely even exists, to get to this point.

From a Division II recruit to an All-Big Ten point guard, Bennett Stirtz has overcome it all and is now in the NBA.

He flashed his skills at Iowa against the best of the best in college basketball and can impact the NBA right away.

Bennett Stirtz's College Career

Starting his career at Northwest Missouri State with Ben McCollum, Stirtz was an immediate impact player. He was the MIAA Freshman of the Year and a Second-Team All-MIAA selection. He spent another year earning All-MIAA honors before following McCollum to Drake.

At Drake, Stirtz proved he can handle the jump. He was the MVC Player of the Year in 2025, averaging 19.2 points and 5.7 assists per game on the way to leading Drake to an NCAA Tournament win.

After one year there, he followed McCollum once again to the Iowa Hawkeyes, where he became a national college basketball star. He posted more than 30 points three times and more than 20 points 17 times

Bennett Stirtz tallied 27 points on 8-10 shooting to power @IowaHoops to another resume-building win 🪣 pic.twitter.com/jMJIEQB90f

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 4, 2026

Stirtz played nearly every minute of every game for the Hawkeyes and still posted 19.8 points per game, which earned him All-Big Ten honors.

He helped change the entire trajectory of the Iowa program as the catalyst that led the Hawkeyes to an Elite 8 run.

Stirtz is a career 48.7% shooter and converts 37.2% of his shots from three-point range.

Just watch Bennett Stirtz run around like Steph 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/FXqEIZs9ng

— Ryan Hammer🔨 (@ryanhammer09) March 28, 2026

What Bennett Stirtz brings to the Oklahoma City Thunder

Stirtz is not the norm in the NBA Draft. He has four years of college basketball experience and is essentially a coach on the court, with what he has learned from Ben McCollum.

Where Stirtz excels as a point guard is his ability to play with or without the ball. His stamina is out of this world, which frees him up to play in whatever capacity a team needs him to.

As he did at Iowa, he can get to the hoop in isolation with a sneaky bit of athleticism, but is very comfortable in a pick-and-roll situation, almost daring defenders to go under the screen with his three-point shooting.

STIRTZ WITH THE 𝗗𝗨𝗡𝗞. 🤯@bennett_stirtz x #Hawkeyes

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/ja6iTABziV

— Iowa Men's Basketball (@IowaHoops) November 5, 2025

At 6-foot-4, he brings ample height and size to the NBA. His defense could be described as acceptable, but it is outweighed by all that he brings on the offensive end.

The speed of the game hasn't been an issue for Stirtz, jumping from Division II to the Missouri Valley to the Big Ten, so I don't expect a huge learning curve for the former Hawkeye.