At long last, Iowa basketball has once again produced an NBA First Round draft selection as point guard Bennett Stirtz was chosen by the Memphis Grizzlies at the No. 16 overall draft pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and then subsequently traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder
As a result, he becomes the first Hawkeye to be chosen in the opening round of the NBA Draft since Kris Murray was chosen No. 23 overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2023.
The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder from Liberty, Missouri, was the centerpiece of Iowa’s historic March Madness run that saw the program reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987, averaging 19.8 points and 4.4 assists per game on 47.7% field goal shooting and 35.8% 3-point shooting in his 37 games played.
Stirtz will now join a 2026 Draft class that includes center Aday Mara, who was selected by the Thunder at the No. 12 pick from the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines. He will also join the same organization as former Hawkeye point guard Payton Sandfort.
As Stirtz prepares to start his professional career in Oklahoma City, here are some of the best social media reactions from both Thunder and Hawkeyes fans to his selection:
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Oklahoma City Thunder fans react to Bennett Stirtz NBA Draft night trade
Reporting by Scout Springgate, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
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By Scout Springgate, Hawkeyes Wire | USA TODAY Network
