How Does Iowa Basketball Replace the Void From NBA-Bound Bennett Stirtz?

It didn't take long for Ben McCollum to notch an NBA first-round draft pick as the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

After one season with the Hawkeyes, star point guard Bennett Stirtz is NBA-bound. The former Division II Northwestern Missouri State Bearcat and Drake Bulldog spent one year with Iowa before departing to the NBA.

Bennett Stirtz was drafted No. 16 overall by the Memphis Grizzlies last night before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in quick succession.

Now that he is in the NBA, Iowa is back to the drawing board with a tall task at hand of replacing his production and on-court leadership.

Replacing Bennett Stirtz is about more than just stats

One thing that immediately stands out about Stirtz at Iowa was his ability to be an on-court coach, conducting Iowa's slow-paced offense, which often saw him with the ball in his hands as the shot clock ran down.

He was comfortable with taking the shot, being the guy, and telling others when and where to be. Replacing Stirtz demands a guard with this leadership.

Finding 20 points each night from somewhere else isn't necessarily easy, either.

Iowa replaces Stirtz with a mix of returners and transfers

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Illinois State Redbirds guard Ty'Reek Coleman (10) drives to the basket against Southern California Trojans guard Rodney Rice (1) during the second half of the Hall of Fame Series game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Ben McCollum went out and got Ty'Reek Coleman, a point guard from Illinois State, in the transfer portal. Following the same path as Stirtz, a lot depends on how quickly Coleman can adjust to the Big Ten game coming from the Missouri Valley Conference.

As a freshman, he posted 10 points and 1.8 assists per game for the Redbirds. He figures to play a big part in replacing Stirtz with his scoring ability and comfort level with the ball in his hands.

The returning talent is intriguing as a replacement for Stirtz. Does Iowa lean on Kael Combs more? Bennett Stirtz predicted Combs to be the point guard in the starting five he predicted for Iowa next season.

Putting Bennett Stirtz on the spot, asked who he believes will be the starting five for Iowa men’s basketball next season. His answer was super interesting (and big).

C: Andrew McKeever (7’3)
PF: Cam Manyawu (6’9)
SF: Cooper Koch (6’8)
SG: Tate Sage (6’7)
PG: Kael Combs (6’4)… pic.twitter.com/cEII57XwOZ
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) June 18, 2026

At 6-foot-4, Kael Combs gives Iowa a touch more height than Coleman, but he will require some time to adjust to being the ball-dominant guard for Iowa, which is a staple in McCollum's offense.

Combs, who has followed McCollum from Drake to Iowa, played in 37 games last year, averaging 6.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.

In reality, it's not likely to be one or the other owning the spot from the jump, but a combination pending the size and opponent, which is a luxury.

Ty'Reek Coleman gives McCollum the faster, twitchier, quick guard to blow by people and keep defenses guessing, while Combs lets Iowa play bigger and slow things down to control the tempo.

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