Entering March Madness, Bennett Stirtz was among the under-the-radar NBA Draft prospects to keep an eye on. Though Drake didn’t have a long run in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, he didn’t do anything to change that, averaging 21.0 points and 6.0 assists per game across two outings. So, when the Bulldogs’ season ended, the junior guard was widely viewed as a tantalizing transfer target.
With Stirtz choosing to follow head coach Ben McCollum, the winner of the sweepstakes turned out to be Iowa. These days, the Hawkeyes program is most famous for being home to women’s basketball sensation Caitlin Clark, who now plays for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. However, Iowa recently produced a top-five NBA Draft pick: Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray.
Drake Transfer Bennett Stirtz To Test NBA Draft Waters
Stirtz “plans to test NBA Draft waters but will maintain college eligibility with the intent to play for Iowa next season,” according to the Des Moines Register’s Tyler Tachman.
Given Stirtz’s age (21), Stirtz might not be drafted as high as Murray was, even if he put himself in the National Player of the Year conversation. Nevertheless, the 2025 Mountain Valley Conference Player of the Year has generated significant buzz this draft cycle, and deservedly so. At 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, he’s a highly skilled point guard who has a real opportunity to be successful at the next level.
Scouting Report
In 2024-25, Stirtz averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
Drake’s Bennett Stirtz had an unbelievable arch madness to lead Drake back into the Ncaa tournament
The 6’4 guard put together:
21.5 PPG
4.3 RPG
4.0 APG
2 Stocks
45% FG
37% 3PT
85% FTHe’s done everything at the highest level for Drake this season, he’s an unbelievably high… pic.twitter.com/BqrIUoVjd3
— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) March 9, 2025
Not only did his scoring and steal average lead the MVC, he ended the season with the most total assists (100). Looking at how many points he produced (668) and comparing that to Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper (544), the top point guard prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft, underscores his ability to generate offense.
What’s more, he’s not one of those ‘almost’ players; an effective shot-creator whose shots are often errant. He’s converting 49.8 percent of his field goal attempts and 39.5 percent of his 3-point attempts. For a player who’s not the most gifted athlete, that’s not just great efficiency, it’s elite.
Big opportunity tomorrow for Drake junior guard Bennett Stirtz in the NCAA Tournament matchup against Missouri.
Stirtz has found himself on NBA Draft radars as a popular sleeper after having a strong season.
In his last 12 games, Stirtz is averaging 21.4 PTS, 5.3 REB & 4.6 AST… pic.twitter.com/YVb6Nr7Qp3
— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) March 19, 2025
As a playmaker, he’s an excellent ball-handler with great feel in the pick-and-roll and the vision to get shots for open shooters. Whether it’s his showmanship, sheer talent or both, he also has plenty of gravity. This helps him manipulate a defender’s attention and create matchup advantages.
When he wants to score, he has the range and touch to let it go from a few feet beyond the arc. Yet, he’s aggressive at getting inside the 3-point circle, using his ball-handling and screens to compensate for his lack of explosiveness. His knack for scoring in the mid-post, feeling his defender’s body and creating space with his footwork, is an intriguing weapon.
His steal rate is a bit deceptive though. Primarily due to his physical limitations, he’s not a great point-of-attack defender. However, he knows where to be to be and has active hands.
Defense being the biggest concern of his game, it could be what dampens his projections. Yet, there are so many point guards who aren’t lockdown on-ball defenders. Why miss the forest for the trees?
© Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images
