2026 NBA Draft Scouting Report for Bennett Stirtz
Bennett Stirtz passed on last year's NBA draft to play at Iowa and validate his production at Drake.
He did exactly that, having just averaged 19.8 points and led the Hawkeyes to three NCAA tournament wins.
Once he makes his debut in the NBA, he'll be playing for his fourth team in four years and the first without coach Ben McCollum, who coached him from Division III to Drake and then Iowa.
Essential Facts, Stats, Combine Measurements
College: Iowa | Position: PG | Age: 22 | Height: 6'2.50" | Weight: 186 lbs | Wingspan: 6'6" | PPG: 19.8 | RPG: 2.6 | APG: 4.4 | BPG: 0.2 | SPG: 1.4 | FG%: 47.7 | 3PT%: 35.8 | FT%: 84.8
Realistic Pro Comparison: Payton Pritchard
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Like Payton Pritchard, Stirtz should operate as a scoring ball-handler who compensates for limited tools and athleticism with shotmaking, IQ and toughness.
Both entered their drafts as older guards who lack perceived upside. Despite coming off the bench for most of his career, Pritchard has outperformed his draft slot, and Stirtz feels like a good bet to do the same playing a similar type of role.
Neither are textbook lead guards, but Stirtz's skill level and intangibles should make him valuable to any rotation, regardless of how he's used.
Strengths
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Strength 1: Shotmaking
Stirtz converted 40.2 percent of his total jump shots, which came from all over the floor in various ways. Hade 48.2 percent of his catch-and-shoot chances when moved off the ball. Playing mostly on the ball, he nailed 99 pull-ups and incredible 57.1 percent of his two-point jumpers. He hit 92 threes this past season. Stirtz is a threat from every spot, and he finds clever ways to get his shot off.
Strength 2: Finishing
Stirtz had some of the best rim finishing numbers of any guard in the nation. He shot 69.9 percent at the basket on 136 attempts, demonstrating both adjustment ability, improvisation and touch.
Strength 3: Playmaking IQ
His assist rate was higher at Drake against weaker competition. But he still showed enough playmaking IQ for teams to picture an NBA point guard, rather than a scoring specialist. Per Synergy Sports, he graded in the 91st percentile as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, and despite being the focal point of defensive game plans, he finished with a very low turnover rate of 10.1 percent.
Weaknesses
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Weakness 1: Creating against length
There were games against tougher opponents this year when Stirtz struggled to create separation. Some scouts see nothing more than a backup NBA guard due to his lack of explosion, size and age. Stirtz shot 36.9 percent in four NCAA tournament games and 40.0 percent or worse in six of the nine games Iowa faced ranked opponents during the regular season.
Weakness 2: Defensive projection
Stirtz doesn't provide much defensive resistance inside the arc. He's not a great shot contester. Quicker, more athletic guards are sure to target him early in his career.
Weakness 3: Role
Stirtz has played for the same coach during each of his three stops so far. NBA scouts wonder how he'll fare under someone new who won't directly cater to his game.
