2026 is the year of Bennett Stirtz as he continues racking up career milestones.
After spending his first two seasons at Division II Northwest Missouri State with Ben McCollum, Stirtz made the jump to mid-major Division I Drake and didn't skip a beat. In only one season with the Bulldogs, Stirtz was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer and Player of the Year and started his meteoric rise up NBA Draft boards.
Stirtz ultimately decided to forego the 2025 NBA Draft to join McCollum at Iowa, and he couldn't have been more of a godsend for the Hawkeyes program. Now, with the 2026 NBA Draft right around the corner, Stirtz is heading to New York.
Stirtz announced he will be attending the NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn
Stirtz has continued generating a ton of NBA Draft buzz, with multiple projections placing him in the middle of the first round. The NBA Draft takes place on Tuesday, June 23, and Stirtz will be in attendance.
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— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) June 16, 2026
Bennett Stirtz tells me he will be attending the NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York next Tuesday. Coach Ben McCollum will join Stirtz and his family in the green room.
So far, Stirtz has worked out with the following teams:
Charlotte Hornets
Chicago…
It was recently announced that Stirtz is among a group of players who were invited to sit in the green room during the Draft at the Barclays Center, and he confirmed his attendance. Stirtz will be in the green room alongside his family and Ben McCollum as he awaits his NBA fate.
He has been continually projected to be taken anywhere from pick No. 17 to 21 overall, with the Toronto Raptors being his most likely landing spot. However, after a solid NBA Combine performance where he absolutely scorched the nets during shooting drills, he could easily move up into the top 15.
According to 247Sports' Hawkeye insider Eliot Clough, Stirtz has generated extensive interest from teams who pick in the top 20 of this year's draft, including the Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Toronto Raptors.
The Bulls and Hornets have multiple first-round picks and need guard help, and Stirtz could easily come off the board with the No. 14 or 15 picks, barring any trades or unforeseen situations during the draft. Going any higher than that wouldn't be a surprise, but it is unlikely. Wherever he goes, Stirtz has the potential to make an immediate impact with his shooting and ability to play every minute of every game when he is called upon.
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