Iowa's Bennett Stirtz Deserves to Be Higher on NBA Draft Boards

Bennett Stirtz is ranked 29th on Draft Digest’s latest big board, 23rd on Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft and 26th on NBADraft.net’s. While those placements put him in the late first-round conversation, his statistical profile and on-court impact suggest he should be ranked higher.

Below, we'll evaluate what could make Stirtz one of the 2026 cycle's fastest risers:

Historical Offensive Impact and Efficiency

During his lone season at Drake, Stirtz established himself as one of college basketball's most efficient offensive guards. According to Hoop Explorer, Drake averaged 114.6 points per 100 possessions with Stirtz on the floor compared to just 88.3 when he sat. The Bulldogs posted a +15.9 net rating with him on the court, compared to -10.3 without.

I think Bennett Stirtz’s burst is a bit undersold, look how he explodes to the rim in some of these clips.

He has really deceptive change of pace and can go north/south and east/west. pic.twitter.com/ErRv9F0rjp
— Latif Love (@realLatifLove) August 2, 2025

He shouldered primary creation responsibilities without compromising efficiency. His 34% assist rate ranked among the best in the nation, and his 13.1% turnover rate was the fourth lowest among guards with comparable usage. For context, Stirtz drove the ball 122 times and committed just two turnovers, and across 708 pick-and-roll possessions, he turned the ball over only 77 times.

Stirtz also excelled as a scorer in these situations, generating 1.007 points per possession as a pick-and-roll ball handler.

While his playmaking efficiency stands out, Stirtz’s scoring ability is just as impressive. He shot 37.3% on pull-up threes and 40.6% from three in pick-and-roll situations, forcing defenses to respect him off the dribble. He also converted 67% of his attempts at the rim, with most of the looks being self-created

His handle, body control and change of pace allow him to get downhill consistently. At 6-foot-4, he has the size to continue improving as a driver. His isolation numbers further highlight his scoring versatility: on 81 isolation possessions, he produced 1.136 points per possession (93rd percentile frequency, 90th percentile efficiency).

Continuing to Win the Possession Battle

Despite carrying a heavy offensive workload, Stirtz wasn’t a negative on the defensive end, and that in itself is valuable. He posted a 3.5% steal rate with 81 total steals while committing only 50 fouls all season. He held pick-and-roll ball handlers to 39.8% shooting and showed discipline within Drake’s aggressive defensive scheme.

Though not an elite athlete or great on-ball defender, Stirtz uses his instincts and quick hands to disrupt opposing guards. His positional size and anticipation give him a pathway to being a reliable team defender at the next level.

Bennett Stirtz was one of the best players in the nation LAST season at Drake…

But now at Iowa in the Big Ten, he will put the country on notice✍️ pic.twitter.com/kIoFMWdq8T
— Blue Blooded (@BlueBloodedPod) August 5, 2025

Reasons for Pause

Some understandable questions may temper Stirtz’s draft stock. His three-point volume (7.8 attempts per 100 possessions) is good but not great for a lead guard and his jumpshooting has been inconsistent throughout his collegiate career.

Athletically, he projects more as a below-the-rim finisher, reflected in just two half-court dunks and low block and offensive rebound rates. While not disqualifying, this could limit some aspects of his production against NBA length and athleticism.

Stirtz also played in the Missouri Valley Conference, which is less competitive than other draft prospects at high-major schools. In addition to facing inferior competition so far, Stirtz will also be 23 before he plays an NBA regular-season game, so it is fair to question how much room to grow he has.

Stirtz will need to replicate what he did in 2024 this season in the Big Ten to improve his draft stock, but being ranked outside the top 20 undersells the impact he can bring to an NBA team right now and in the future. Stirtz’s combination of elite turnover avoidance, pick-and-roll proficiency, and improving shooting suggests he should be firmly in the conversation as a mid-first-round prospect—if not higher.