The 2026 NBA Draft largely went chalk. The Dallas Mavericks started the twists by selecting Michigan big man Morez Johnson Jr., the Bucks nabbed Brayden Burries and the Golden State Warriors selected Yaxel Lendeborg before the Oklahoma City Thunder grabbed Michigan big man Aday Mara with the No. 12 pick. This put all three of the Michigan front-court members drafted inside of the top 12 and the Thunder looming again at pick No. 17. Oklahoma City executed a draft day trade with the Memphis Grizzlies to move up one spot from the No. 17 pick to the No. 16 selection while giving Memphis a pair of second-round picks for their trouble. This ensured the Thunder's ability to draft Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz. With the Grizzlies eventually trading down to the No. 21 pick after acquiring the Thunder's No. 17 selection, it was easy to see why Oklahoma City opted to move up one spot as to not be leapfrogged by other teams to grab Stirtz. It is clear that the team prioritized grabbing the high-impact offensive weapon in this draft. Just as Aday Mara's selection deserved a grade, let's grade the Stirtz pick for the Thunder. Stirtz is a 6-foot-2 guard with a 6-foot-6 wingspan, checking in at 186 pounds and boasting an 8-foot-2 standing reach. The Iowa guard averaged 37.7 minutes per game while at Iowa a year ago after playing an even more jaw-dropping 39.4 minutes per game at Drake the year prior. Both of which led the country. He started his collegiate journey in Division II where he played against the University of Central Oklahoma, scoring 20 points in 40 minutes of action. It is clear that the 22-year-old is the Energizer Bunny. Not only in the raw minutes he plays, but especially stacking those minutes up with the offensive engine role he played in college. Leading his offense as a playmaker and scoring option. Last season, Stirtz averaged 19.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.6 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game across 37 contests. Stirtz ranked in the 91st percentile as a pick-and-roll ball handler, posting 1.048 points per possession in that setting, shot 41% on spot-up attempts, posting over a point per possession in isolation, 1.4 points per possession in transition, and 1.8 points per possession on the limited cutting chances he had at Iowa, as the ball was most often in his hands. The Iowa product is a true three-level scorer, turning in an impressive 70% shooting at the rim, 58% in the mid-range and, 35% from 3-point land, mostly off dribbled jumpers where he shot nearly 38%. In his rare chances as a catch-and-shoot option, Stirtz converted at a 48% clip, including a jaw-dropping 51% on guarded catch-and-shoot jumpers. Stirtz not only is comfortable with the ball in his hands, but has shown signs of –– if given the opportunity –– being a really nice off-ball weapon as well.The Iowa guard injects playmaking and creation to an Oklahoma City club that really needs it, especially as an insurance policy to protect from injuries or just simply overused lineups. Even if the Thunder are fully healthy, this gives them the freedom to play Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams together for longer stretches, knowing Stirtz can come in and lead the next wave as the trio gets some needed rest. Stirtz gives the Thunder optionality in multiple ways. The first being his ability mentioned above. But even when sharing the floor with Gilgeous-Alexander or Williams, he can set the table for either of those scorers, letting them get to their spots to score, or attack a soft spot in the defense off the ball with his dimes. He can also complement them with his ability to reset or re-attack in a single possession. If the ball gets swung to Stirtz on the outside, he can not only convert off the catch-and-shoot but also attack a hard closeout with his comfort level on the ball and either get to a scoring chance of his own by getting to the mid-range or the rim, or just simply probing the defense and finding a breakdown elsewhere to set up his teammates. The only thing hindering this pick from an A+ is the defensive question marks around his game. He put some dreadful defensive tape on film on the ball. But it is easy to see Oklahoma City improving that area of his game. Not only because he will be flanked by high-end defenders that, with their talent and screen navigation, can keep him away from the ball, but with their backline unit of Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and now Aday Mara, he has help at the rim if he is beat. Stirtz is an opportunistic defender able to play the passing lanes off the ball and generate deflections and turnovers that led to transition chances. The fact that he never lacks effort also bodes well for the Thunder's elite defensive coaching staff to get the most out of him on that end of the floor. There is also the chance that his defensive shortcomings see a simple solution: exhaustion. The Iowa guard will not be asked to play the entire game as he was in college and certainly not be tasked with creating every bit of offense for his team any longer. There is a slight chance that the lack of usage on that end of the floor allows his defense to improve naturally before any development is done. The Thunder needed to leave the draft with more offensive juice and creation ability. They checked that box with the Stirtz pick. Mix in the fact that this was the perfect value for the Iowa guard who ranked No. 15 on this scribe's big board before being selected at the No. 16 selection and it is easy to see why he earns such a high mark. Grade: AAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow