Iowa basketball PG Bennett Stirtz with chance to climb NBA draft board

Few players in any sport, not just college basketball, have had the career-long ascent up the ranks like Bennett Stirtz has done. From his time at Northwest Missouri State, where he was an under-recruited guard, to a stop at Drake, and then a finale with the Iowa Hawkeyes, he has put together some career.

Stirtz, who has taken himself from an unheard-of guard to a future NBA player, is featured in most NBA draft big boards with the expectation that he will get a chance at the next level.

ESPN's latest big board for the NBA draft, which ranks the top 100 prospects, is high on Bennett Stirtz, ranking him as the No. 21 player available.

21. Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa

Senior | Height: 6-4 | Age: 22.5**| Previous ranking: 21**

Stirtz played a focal role in Iowa's surprising Elite Eight run, with his poise and ability to control the game helping drive winning despite his streaky shooting performances. He played every minute of the tournament, and his heavy usage on a team that didn't have a ton around him suggests that things might get easier for him in the pros, where he should have more open looks and can better maximize his ability as a ball-screen operator.

Scouts are split on Stirtz's long-term upside, as he's not the quickest, doesn't always get great separation from defenders and will likely need a ball screen to create shots at a high level. But it's fair to think he can rise up the board from here, with guard-needy teams likely to look in his direction as a plug-and-play option, particularly if other players with eligibility opt to return to college. - Jeremy Woo, ESPN

Stirtz's ability to conduct an offense is a talent that few point guards in the collegiate ranks have shown. He can move the ball and players around, while maintaining a calm and cool demeanor, even as the shot clock runs down. He wants the ball in his hands when a bucket is needed, and that translates very well to the NBA game.

He doesn't lack experience, either. In two years in Division I, Stirtz started 72 games and averaged 19.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in his two years split between Drake and Iowa. He can shoot it, too. Bennett Stirtz was 48.7% from the field in his college career, while being a 37.2% three-point shooter.