BennettStirtz

News: 1 day agoThe Grizzlies selected Stirtz with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and traded his rights to the Thunder, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

Spin: The Grizzlies will receive two second-round picks while trading down to the 17th overall pick in this year's draft. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City will bolster its backcourt depth. Stirtz began his career at Division II Northwest Missouri State before following head coach Ben McCollum to Drake and then Iowa. In his lone season with the Hawkeyes in 2025-26, the ball-dominant guard averaged 19.8 points, 4.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc in 37.8 minutes per contest across 37 games. Stirtz's standout campaign landed him All-Big Ten Second Team honors. He isn't guaranteed a meaningful role with the Thunder immediately, and he'll likely compete for playing time off the bench with the likes of Nikola Topic (back) and Jared McCain.