Iowa coach Ben McCollum calls Bennett Stirtz’s NBA rise “ridiculous” after tournament exit

The season may be over for the Iowa Hawkeyes, but one player’s story is just getting started.

From overlooked recruit to NBA prospect

Following Iowa’s 71–59 loss to Illinois Fighting Illini in the Elite Eight, head coach Ben McCollum reflected on the journey of guard Bennett Stirtz, and didn’t hold back.

“He’ll play in the NBA. How ridiculous is that story?” McCollum said. “He was at Liberty High School and nobody wanted him, and now he’s gonna work his way into the NBA.”

Even in defeat, Stirtz delivered. The point guard led Iowa with 24 points against Illinois, providing one of the few bright spots in a game where the Hawkeyes struggled to generate consistent offense. While the team fell short of the Final Four, Stirtz’s performance only added to a growing belief that he could have a future at the next level.

What makes Stirtz’s story resonate, and why McCollum called it “ridiculous”, is the path it took to get here. Their player-coach connection dates back to 2022, when Stirtz first played under McCollum at Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, a Division II powerhouse.

From there, he followed McCollum to Drake Bulldogs and continued developing within the same system. Eventually, he made the jump to Iowa, where he became a key contributor on a tournament team At each stop, McCollum remained a constant, believing in a player who, by his own account, was largely overlooked early in his career.

Now, that long development arc could lead to the NBA. While Stirtz isn’t yet among the most widely projected draft picks, early projections have begun to surface. Some mock scenarios have linked him as a potential fit for teams like the Toronto Raptors, particularly as a developmental guard with upside.

His scoring ability, feel for the game, and experience make him an intriguing prospect, especially for teams willing to invest in growth.

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