Iowa product Bennett Stirtz is a polished guard prospect.
He took on a huge workload last seasonStirtz shoots with range, variety and volume. On top of his three-point shooting, he can keep the scoreboard moving with crafty finishes inside and soft touch on well-honed floaters, runners and leaners.
Over his two Division I seasons, Stirtz went 48.7 percent from the floor, 37.2 percent from three-point range and 82.0 percent at the foul line. He got up 6.9 threes per game as a senior and fired away with the kind of confidence that’s needed in the NBA.
“I feel like I’m the best shooter in this draft and I want to prove that my whole basketball career,”Stirtz is a polished pick-and-roll ball handler who’s clever about manipulating defenses but doesn’t force high-risk passes. He posted a 2.40 assist-to-turnover ratio last year. Stirtz isn’t a player with much blow-by explosiveness or traditional athleticism. Defensively, he knows there will be major challenges against NBA speed and strength.
“Just watching the NBA, they pick on dudes. They get the same dude in the action every time who they don’t think can guard. I don’t want to be that guy. … I want to be able to guard in the league and be able to guard different positions.
“I think playing 40 minutes this year, it didn’t help because I was so tired and I was doing so much on the offensive end. Trying to get a breather, it was on the defensive side of the ball. So that was a tough spot for this year, but I really want to be become a great defender. ” Is Stirtz truly an elite shooter?
He might make that look like a silly question, but Stirtz was 10 for 39 from three-point territory in the 2026 NCAA tournament, including an 0-for-9 game against Florida. Much of that can be chalked up to having to take difficult off-the-dribble looks and the toll of game after game with zero rest. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if Stirtz has more open shots next to NBA talent and hits a high percentage.
However, his ceiling would obviously be lower if he doesn’t end up as a full-blown sharpshooter. In terms of upside, it’s also notable that Stirtz will turn 23 years old in October. He’s an unconventional prospect and could continue making significant development, but NBA teams will generally expect more growth from the younger players in this draft class.
With Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe as backcourt cornerstones, Stirtz would presumably not step into the Sixers’ starting lineup as the 22nd pick. In the event that most of Stirtz’s college strengths translate to the NBA, it’s still easy to envision him being a valuable piece. The Sixers could absolutely use more three-point shooting and more players capable of handling the ball besides Maxey and Edgecombe.
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