Iowa’s breakout guard bennett stirtz emerges as a top-20 2026 Draft candidate
One of college basketball’s most compelling late-bloomers has reached the national conversation. Bennett Stirtz, a 6-foot-4 point guard whose resume runs from Division II to the Big Ten in four seasons, is averaging 20. 4 points per game and logging a team-high 36. 6 minutes for Iowa. His blend of pick-and-roll scoring, shooting and on-ball savvy has pushed him into legitimate top-20 2026 Draft chatter as the season heads into its final stretch and March tournament talk intensifies.
Unconventional path: zero-star recruit to Big Ten star
Stirtz’s rise reads like a primer on persistence. He began at Division II Northwest Missouri State for two seasons, spent a year at mid-major Drake and then followed head coach Ben McCollum to a Power Five program for his senior campaign. At each stop his production climbed: from 12. 6 points per game as a freshman to a breakout 19. 2 ppg at Drake where he also averaged 2. 1 steals, and now 20. 4 ppg in his first Big Ten season.
That Drake season was especially revealing — he paced the conference in scoring, helped the Bulldogs to a regular-season league title and a conference tournament crown, and was a key piece in a Round of 64 upset over a 6-seed Missouri. Those wins vaulted him into higher-profile assignments and exposed him to tougher defensive looks, but the results have only sharpened the argument that he belongs at the highest level.
On-court profile: pick-and-roll maestro with a stepping game
At 6-foot-4, Stirtz plays with the grab-and-go instincts of a lead guard yet the size to operate through contact in the paint. His signature move is a nasty step-back jumper, and his handle and pace make him dangerous creating separation off the dribble. More than raw scoring, his pick-and-roll work stands out: across his career he has run nearly 1, 926 pick-and-roll possessions and is producing about 1. 12 points per possession in that action this season.
That efficiency is backed by strong splits — roughly 50% from the field overall on pick-and-roll plays, 61% on two-point attempts and 38% on threes from those looks — and a mix of 71 twos to 60 threes in that play type. The numbers reflect a guard comfortable operating at the high pick-and-roll, reading coverages and balancing pull-up threes with downhill finishes and consecutive creation for teammates.
Beyond volume and percentages, Stirtz has defensive value in the form of active hands and instincts, reflected in his steals totals, and a high basketball IQ that keeps him on the floor for heavy minutes. Those traits explain why coaches lean on him: he’s the primary engine of Iowa’s offense and a playmaker capable of lifting teammates’ effectiveness.
Draft case and what to watch next
Stirtz’s draft stock has surged to the point where top-20 conversations are realistic. The upside for NBA teams is straightforward: a seasoned pick-and-roll creator who can shoot, handle pressure and produce with consistent frequency. He profiles as a lead guard who can immediately slot into spread pick-and-roll actions and spacing schemes.
There are counterpoints scouts will continue to probe. He will be older than many prospects at draft time, and evaluators will test whether his game can translate across longer NBA seasons and against bigger, quicker defenders night after night. Continued efficiency in higher-stakes March games and how he handles length and athleticism will be decisive.
Still, the trajectory is clear. From a zero-star recruit and Division II beginnings to steady leaps at Drake and now a starring senior role in the Big Ten, Stirtz has closed gaps at each level. With the NCAA season entering its decisive run — and with key matchups still to come — his performance over the next several weeks will go a long way toward solidifying a first-round profile and shaping his professional outlook.
