We are just over a month from the 2026 NBA Draft, and one Hawkeye is looking to cement himself as a mid-first-round pick.
The NBA Draft hype surrounding star guard Bennett Stirtz began after he led Drake to the NCAA Tournament and was named the MVC Player and Newcomer of the Year for the 2024-2025 season.
Stirtz averaged 19.2 points on 49.8 percent shooting from the field and 39.5 percent from beyond the arc for the Bulldogs two seasons ago, before moving up in competition.
The star guard put up similar numbers for the Hawkeyes last season, and his draft stock continues to rise.
Two recent mock drafts from Fansided and Gary Parrish from CBS Sports both have the Toronto Raptors selecting Stirtz with the No. 19 overall pick, and he is showing why even that might be a little low.
Stirtz is showing out in training before the NBA Draft Combine
Stirtz has always been an ironman on the court, playing nearly every minute of every game for the Bulldogs and Hawkeyes over the past few seasons, and that, combined with his shooting ability is catching the eye of scouts.
Spent some time watching Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz training in Chicago for the upcoming NBA Draft Combine.
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) May 8, 2026
Clearly in great shape and shoots the cover off the ball.
The 6’4” point guard’s smarts, skills, instincts, and steadiness should appeal to NBA teams drafting in the teens. pic.twitter.com/kaRVvWHZDM
Jon Chepkevich from DraftExpress.com spent some time watching Stirtz during training and noted he appears to be in great shape and "shoots the cover" off the ball.
He also praised Stirtz's smarts, skills, instincts, and steadiness, and believes multiple NBA organizations will be looking at him if they have a first-round pick in the teens.
The consensus is that Stirtz will land in the low teens in the upcoming draft, but he has a golden opportunity this weekend to showcase his skills and potentially entice a team to draft him sooner.
Stirtz is one of the few well-rounded point guards in this year's draft class that can do it all on both ends of the court, and he has a chance to show that during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago this weekend.
Important info on the NBA Draft Combine
73 of the top college and NBA G-League prospects were invited to participate in this year's Combine that takes place from May 10-17 in Chicago.
Participants will go through a series of strength, agility, and shooting drills, including vertical jump, three-quarter court sprint, lane shuttle drill and more.
They will also be tested on shooting ability in multiple drills listed below:
- off-the-dribble shooting
- spot-up shooting
- star drill (three-point or midrange)
- side-mid-side drill (three-point or midrange)
- free-throw shooting
There is also a portion of the event dedicated to live action offense vs. defense, but it is optional for participants.
The NBA Draft picture becomes a little clearer after the Draft Lottery occurring on May 10, and it will be important for Stirtz to fully showcase what he can do over the next week.
The Hawkeyes have been more well-represented in the NBA lately, with Luka Garza (Boston), Keegan Murray (Sacramento), and Kris Murray (Portland) all on active NBA rosters.
If he goes in the top-20, he would be the highest-drafted Hawkeye since Keegan Murray was drafted No. 4 overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2022.
Add us as a preferred source on Google