Drake standout Stirtz to follow McCollum to Iowa

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• =”40″/ > Jeff BorzelloMar 25, 2025, 02:41 PM ET Close Basketball recruiting expert.
• Joined ESPN in 2014.
• Graduate of University of Delaware.Drake star guard

Bennett Stirtz plans to get in the transfer portal and follow coach Ben McCollum to Iowa, he told The Field of 68 on Tuesday.Stirtz, one of the most significant breakout

stars of the 2024-25 college basketball season, invested one season with the Bulldogs after moving from Department 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 leading 50 nationally in both categories.Editor’s Picks 1 Related Stirtz, who likely wasn’t even on NBA draft boards going into the season, has become a borderline first-round choice after an outstanding

finish to the season. He had 24 points and 4 helps in the Missouri Valley title game against Bradley, then went for 21 points and four assists in a first-round NCAA tournament upset over Missouri. He followed that up with 21 points and 8 helps in a second-round loss to Texas Tech, playing all 40 minutes in all 3 games.He’s now ranked No. 35 in ESPN’s NBA draft rankings.McCollum was worked with at Iowa on Monday after leading the Bulldogs to the Missouri Valley regular-season and conference tournament titles in his only season at Drake.

Before that, McCollum led Northwest Missouri State to four

national championships and a 394-91 record.Stirtz was among four Northwest Missouri beginners to follow McCollum to Drake last spring.