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IOWA CITY — The 2026 NBA Draft is coming up later this month, and Iowa men's basketball is expected to have a player selected for the first time since 2023.
After a stellar senior season at Iowa, Bennett Stirtz is projected to be a first-round pick. The Murray twins were the last two Hawkeyes to go in the first round. Keegan was the fourth overall pick in 2022 and Kris was the 23rd overall pick in 2023.
Stirtz is projected to join that list.
The 2026 NBA Draft takes place June 23-24.
Stirtz was the centerpiece of Iowa's offensive attack last season, averaging 19.8 points, 4.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game while shooting 47.7% from the field, 35.8% from deep and 84.8% from the free throw line. Stirtz exploded for at least 32 points on three occasions last season, including a career-high 36 against Northwestern.
He was one of the poster children for this new era of Iowa men's basketball under coach Ben McCollum. The Hawkeyes went on a thrilling NCAA Tournament run and made the program's first Elite Eight appearance since 1987.
“Just the ups and downs and the struggles we went through," Stirtz said at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine, reflecting on last season. "When we were at rock bottom, when we were losing three straight games, we stuck together as a team. Everything’s not going to be sunshine and rainbows. You’ve got to go through the struggle. I think the struggle and suffering changes you. So just seeing what we’ve been through and what we made it to — close to our goal — I think that was super special. And then, the relationships that I had is something that I’ll never let go.”
More: Ex-Iowa star Bennett Stirtz preparing for next step of unlikely journey
One of the many assets that Stirtz brings to the table is shooting. His 3-point percentage was still near 40% toward the end of February, but that declined in the latter stages of the season. Considering how much attention he drew from opposing defenses and the fact that he was playing such heavy minutes, it's not shocking that Stirtz's 3-point shooting trended down during the stretch run.
Being in an NBA environment with more spacing, where he isn't necessarily atop the scouting report, should allow Stirtz for cleaner looks.
"I feel like I'm the best shooter in this draft and I want to prove that my whole basketball career," Stirtz said. "It just starts with your work ethic and getting up as many shots as you can."
More: NBA Draft prospects weigh in on Iowa basketball | 'A lot of discipline'
Stirtz was Iowa's primary playmaker last season out of necessity, so there weren't tons of opportunities for him to play off the ball. But Stirtz believes he is better off the ball, which is an eye-opening statement, considering how good he is with the ball. That would give him some versatility at the guard position in the NBA.
"I want to showcase that I can play off the ball," Stirtz said. "I had the ball in my hands a lot this season. But I think my IQ really helps me playing off the ball, and being able to shoot at a high level really helps me, as well."
"The needle won't move much for Bennett Stirtz during the predraft process. He proved himself by nearly matching his big numbers at Drake with the same production and an Elite 8 run at Iowa.
"He's not going to win any athletic or physical competitions, and being a 23-year-old rookie will likely dissuade lottery teams in a draft that's loaded with ball-handlers. But in the teens or 20s, Stirtz will look like a value pick whose college impact, shotmaking, IQ and finishing/touch simply looks too advanced to write off because of age or limited speed/explosion." — Wasserman
"The Raptors need another guard and should have Bennett Stirtz, who reportedly has a workout scheduled with the franchise, on their priority list. After transferring from Division II to a mid-major and then to a high-major program, he is at the top of the class in creating his own shot off the dribble in isolation or the pick-and-roll. The All-Big Ten guard can also finish plays from dribble handoffs. His play during March Madness, which included 24 points against Illinois and 20 points against Nebraska, earned a spot in the Elite Eight. The Raptors play at a slow pace, which would translate well for Stirtz, who did the same at Iowa. " — Kalbrosky
"Daryl Morey might have sealed his fate in Philly by saying 'I’m quite confident we were selling high on Jared McCain,' but the Sixers may have an opportunity to immediately rectify the situation. Stirtz is a perfect McCain mulligan. Give him a ball screen and he becomes a wizard with an extrasensory feel for delivering passes in the pick-and-roll, often on bounce passes from angles that seem to defy physics. He is also equally comfortable pulling up or relocating for 3s. Philly doesn’t currently have a backup point guard option for Tyrese Maxey, and it also could stand to have another movement shooter if it wants to develop V.J. Edgecombe’s on-ball skills. Stirtz may be one of the oldest prospects in the first round, but he might also be the best talent left on the board." — Chau
"Stirtz is a high-volume creator who doesn’t turn the ball over and also offers floor spacing potential with a quick and accurate trigger from three-point range. He’s not the biggest lead guard and he’s likely to have some issues defending at the point of attack, but he’s such an additive player offensively that he can work in a variety of roles. I’m curious what Stirtz would look like in a faster system and more scaled down role after creating every advantage and playing nearly every minute for Iowa during his senior season." — O'Donnell
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Where Iowa basketball's Bennett Stirtz lands in 2026 NBA mock drafts
Continue reading...
After a stellar senior season at Iowa, Bennett Stirtz is projected to be a first-round pick. The Murray twins were the last two Hawkeyes to go in the first round. Keegan was the fourth overall pick in 2022 and Kris was the 23rd overall pick in 2023.
Stirtz is projected to join that list.
The 2026 NBA Draft takes place June 23-24.
Stirtz was the centerpiece of Iowa's offensive attack last season, averaging 19.8 points, 4.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game while shooting 47.7% from the field, 35.8% from deep and 84.8% from the free throw line. Stirtz exploded for at least 32 points on three occasions last season, including a career-high 36 against Northwestern.
He was one of the poster children for this new era of Iowa men's basketball under coach Ben McCollum. The Hawkeyes went on a thrilling NCAA Tournament run and made the program's first Elite Eight appearance since 1987.
“Just the ups and downs and the struggles we went through," Stirtz said at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine, reflecting on last season. "When we were at rock bottom, when we were losing three straight games, we stuck together as a team. Everything’s not going to be sunshine and rainbows. You’ve got to go through the struggle. I think the struggle and suffering changes you. So just seeing what we’ve been through and what we made it to — close to our goal — I think that was super special. And then, the relationships that I had is something that I’ll never let go.”
More: Ex-Iowa star Bennett Stirtz preparing for next step of unlikely journey
One of the many assets that Stirtz brings to the table is shooting. His 3-point percentage was still near 40% toward the end of February, but that declined in the latter stages of the season. Considering how much attention he drew from opposing defenses and the fact that he was playing such heavy minutes, it's not shocking that Stirtz's 3-point shooting trended down during the stretch run.
Being in an NBA environment with more spacing, where he isn't necessarily atop the scouting report, should allow Stirtz for cleaner looks.
"I feel like I'm the best shooter in this draft and I want to prove that my whole basketball career," Stirtz said. "It just starts with your work ethic and getting up as many shots as you can."
More: NBA Draft prospects weigh in on Iowa basketball | 'A lot of discipline'
Stirtz was Iowa's primary playmaker last season out of necessity, so there weren't tons of opportunities for him to play off the ball. But Stirtz believes he is better off the ball, which is an eye-opening statement, considering how good he is with the ball. That would give him some versatility at the guard position in the NBA.
"I want to showcase that I can play off the ball," Stirtz said. "I had the ball in my hands a lot this season. But I think my IQ really helps me playing off the ball, and being able to shoot at a high level really helps me, as well."
Where Bennett Stirtz is projected in recent NBA mock drafts
- Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report: 21st to the Detroit Pistons
"The needle won't move much for Bennett Stirtz during the predraft process. He proved himself by nearly matching his big numbers at Drake with the same production and an Elite 8 run at Iowa.
"He's not going to win any athletic or physical competitions, and being a 23-year-old rookie will likely dissuade lottery teams in a draft that's loaded with ball-handlers. But in the teens or 20s, Stirtz will look like a value pick whose college impact, shotmaking, IQ and finishing/touch simply looks too advanced to write off because of age or limited speed/explosion." — Wasserman
- Bryan Kalbrosky, USA Today: 19th to the Toronto Raptors
"The Raptors need another guard and should have Bennett Stirtz, who reportedly has a workout scheduled with the franchise, on their priority list. After transferring from Division II to a mid-major and then to a high-major program, he is at the top of the class in creating his own shot off the dribble in isolation or the pick-and-roll. The All-Big Ten guard can also finish plays from dribble handoffs. His play during March Madness, which included 24 points against Illinois and 20 points against Nebraska, earned a spot in the Elite Eight. The Raptors play at a slow pace, which would translate well for Stirtz, who did the same at Iowa. " — Kalbrosky
- Danny Chau, The Ringer: 22nd to the Philadelphia 76ers
"Daryl Morey might have sealed his fate in Philly by saying 'I’m quite confident we were selling high on Jared McCain,' but the Sixers may have an opportunity to immediately rectify the situation. Stirtz is a perfect McCain mulligan. Give him a ball screen and he becomes a wizard with an extrasensory feel for delivering passes in the pick-and-roll, often on bounce passes from angles that seem to defy physics. He is also equally comfortable pulling up or relocating for 3s. Philly doesn’t currently have a backup point guard option for Tyrese Maxey, and it also could stand to have another movement shooter if it wants to develop V.J. Edgecombe’s on-ball skills. Stirtz may be one of the oldest prospects in the first round, but he might also be the best talent left on the board." — Chau
- Ricky O'Donnell, SB Nation: 16th to the Memphis Grizzlies
"Stirtz is a high-volume creator who doesn’t turn the ball over and also offers floor spacing potential with a quick and accurate trigger from three-point range. He’s not the biggest lead guard and he’s likely to have some issues defending at the point of attack, but he’s such an additive player offensively that he can work in a variety of roles. I’m curious what Stirtz would look like in a faster system and more scaled down role after creating every advantage and playing nearly every minute for Iowa during his senior season." — O'Donnell
- On3: 26th to the Denver Nuggets
- CBS Sports: 18th to the Charlotte Hornets
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Where Iowa basketball's Bennett Stirtz lands in 2026 NBA mock drafts
Continue reading...
