Bennett Stirtz is one of the most exciting point guards in college basketball and a proven winner. After dominating DII basketball, he transferred to Drake, leading them to a 31-4 record and taking home the MVC Player of the Year Award. For his senior season, he followed coach Ben McCollum to Iowa and showed that he could do it at the high-major level.
Stirtz has led Iowa to a deep tournament run, and he was meant for that spotlight. He will be a surefire first-round pick in June.
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Bennett Stirtz stats
Stat Average
Points 19.7
Rebounds 2.7
Assists 4.5
Blocks 0.3
Steals 1.5
Field goal % 47.8
3-point % 35.9
Free throw % 84.2
Bennett Stirtz height, weight, year
Height: 6-4
Weight: 180 pounds
Year: Senior
Bennett Stirtz strengths
Stirtz is a highly skilled player who has arguably the best feel in the 2026 draft class. He is an elite offensive weapon in college basketball, both as a passer and a scorer. He takes on a huge load in Iowa's offense, playing a ton of minutes and doing everything for them.
Stirtz is a versatile offensive player. He's capable of creating his own shot in isolation, where his 1.05 points per possession rank in the 82nd percentile of players. He has a good first step, which he pairs with a nasty step-back jumper. That makes him impossible to guard one-on-one.
That stepback tho 😤 pic.twitter.com/lfijXPbFYe
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 20, 2026
Stirtz is also one of the premier pick-and-roll guards in the country. He's a rock-solid passer that rarely makes mistakes. While his passes aren't always the flashiest, they are very effective. He has the gift of seeing plays develop several passes ahead.
When Stirtz gets into the paint, he has a soft touch. He's a better athlete than you might think, recording nine dunks on the year. But he's mostly a below-the-rim finisher, using floaters and crafty moves to get the ball over opposing centers. He hit an excellent 70.2 percent of his shots at the rim, ranking in the 91st percentile in points per shot.
Bennett Stirtz was an elite finisher this season. Shot 70.2% at the rim, ranking in the 91st percentile in points per shot via Synergy.
Great cutter, soft touch, rarely out of control, and showed some hops with nine dunks. pic.twitter.com/A5IMiKkF33
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) March 23, 2026
Stirtz' 36 percent from 3 doesn't look all that special. He took a high volume of shots though, and his overall percentage was dragged down by the degree of difficulty on his pull-up 3's. He profiles as a deadeye marksman at the next level, particularly when he plays off the ball. He hit a ridiculous 51.7 percent from 3 on his catch-and-shoot attempts this season.
SN AWARDS:All-America team |Player of the Year |Coach of the Year
Bennett Stirtz weaknesses
Stirtz doesn't possess amazing size or functional athleticism. There are going to be question marks about his defense. He's going to be tested frequently as a smaller guard.
Stirtz is okay as far as his defensive positioning. He has big hands and good anticipation. His point-of-attack defense hasn't been great at Iowa though. He doesn't move his feet laterally particularly well, and he can get overpowered by stronger players. Screen navigation has been an issue for him. He profiles as a below-average defender, but his contributions on offense should make up for that weakness.
The one question mark that Stirtz does have offensively is if his lack of paint touches will be an issue at the NBA. He has a tendency to pick up his dribble early and shoot tough layups. You can't really argue with the results though.
Stirtz also isn't a typical advantage creator. He has trouble creating separation off the dribble. He relies more on craft and feel than superb athleticism. He will probably slide into a smaller usage role as compared to the do-everything engine that he was at Iowa.
Stirtz' last weakness isn't one he can do much about. He's an old prospect, and the talented freshmen in this class will be taken over him because of their higher upside. He's a much more finished product who will be turning 23 years old in October.
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Bennett Stirtz NBA Mock Draft projection
Mock Draft projection: Middle of first round
Stirtz might have a chance to go higher in a different draft, but right now he's being mocked right outside the lottery. There are a ton of talented guards in this class who will go before him.
If Stirtz does go towards the late lottery, the Warriors are a popular landing spot for him. He would fit in very well in their motion-based system, where he could spread the floor and make smart decisions with the ball.
MORE:NBA Mock Draft 2026: Projecting where Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa will go
Bennett Stirtz NBA player comparison
Plays like: Andrew Nembhard
Stirtz is nowhere near the defender Nembhard is, but there are some similar offensive similarities. Both players win on feel, can hit big time 3's, and rise to the moment. Nembhard played a crucial role for a team that came one half away from winning in the Finals. Stirtz could be that kind of player too.
In truth, it's hard to find a comparison for Stirtz. He's a unique player, which makes him a tough scout. There aren't a ton of players who succeed so wildly with his set of strengths and weaknesses.
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