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The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan
The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

From Iowa City to OKC: Stirtz lands the No. 16 pick in the NBA draft

The guard was drafted to the Memphis Grizzlies before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday night.
Anna Olson, Social Media Editor
June 23, 2026
Samantha DeFily
Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz dribbles the ball during a basketball game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the No. 13 Purdue Boilermakers at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. The Boilermakers defeated the Hawkeyes, 78-57. (Samantha DeFily/The Daily Iowan)

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

Bennett Stirtz will continue his basketball career after being drafted No. 16 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night. He closed out his college career leading the Iowa men’s basketball team in points, assists, and steals in his only season as a Hawkeye.

Stirtz was drafted to the Memphis Grizzlies before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the No. 17 pick and future second-round selections. Stirtz is the first Hawkeye to be drafted into the NBA since Kris Murray in 2023. 

Before leading the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987, Stirtz began his career at the Division II level playing at Northwest Missouri State under head coach Ben McCollum. 

The pair quickly developed a winning partnership, as Stirtz followed McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake and then to Iowa. 

After transferring to Drake in 2024, Stirtz earned Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors, and when McCollum accepted the Iowa job the following spring, Stirtz again followed his coach to Iowa City, where the duo led the Hawkeyes on their deepest NCAA Tournament run in nearly four decades.

McCollum said he couldn’t be more proud of Stirtz for getting drafted.

“It helps the University of Iowa as well, puts us on the map,” McCollum said via an interview posted on the Iowa men’s basketball’s X. “And I think that was his goal coming through was to make sure to set that foundation, and now, hopefully he’ll do that in the NBA.”

For Stirtz, he said “the work starts now” in Oklahoma City during a press conference after the draft.

“Now it’s go time,” he said during the press conference. “I think the fit couldn’t be better, the organization, just the people around it. Nothing but good people, the community is great, I love the city of Oklahoma City. Just excited to create relationships with everyone and get going.”