-
Jeff Borzello
Drake star guard Bennett Stirtz plans to enter the transfer portal and follow coach Ben McCollum to Iowa, he told The Field of 68 on Tuesday.
Stirtz, one of the biggest breakout stars of the 2024-25 college basketball season, spent one season with the Bulldogs after transferring from Division II Northwest Missouri State when McCollum left for Drake.
A 6-foot-4 point guard, Stirtz won Missouri Valley Player of the Year and led the country in minutes played. He averaged 19.2 points and 5.7 assists, ranking in the top 50 nationally in both categories.
Stirtz, who likely wasn’t even on NBA draft boards entering the season, has emerged as a borderline first-round pick after a stellar finish to the season. He had 24 points and 4 assists in the Missouri Valley title game against Bradley, then went for 21 points and 4 assists in a first-round NCAA tournament upset over Missouri. He followed that up with 21 points and 8 assists in a second-round loss to Texas Tech, playing all 40 minutes in all three games.
He’s now ranked No. 35 in ESPN’s NBA draft rankings.
McCollum was hired at Iowa on Monday after leading the Bulldogs to the Missouri Valley regular-season and conference tournament titles in his only season at Drake. Prior to that, McCollum led Northwest Missouri State to four national championships and a 394-91 record.
Stirtz was one of four starters to follow McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake last spring.
This post was originally published on this site