Though the Thunder have many newcomers with a desire to contribute in year one, Bennett Stirtz might be the only one to do it.
2026 was another year when the Oklahoma City Thunder had multiple draft picks in the first round. Without a doubt, their splashiest draft pick was Michigan’s Aday Mara, a 7-foot-4 center with excellent passing chops, but Mara won't be the most impactful rookie on the Thunder’s roster. That distinction will belong to former Iowa Hawkeye Bennett Stirtz. Stirtz was a four-year player in college before being selected 16th overall and being acquired by the Thunder.
The Thunder have long had one major offensive issue: three-point shooting. In the 2024-25 season, the Thunder were 6th in regular-season three-point percentage before dropping to 13th among playoff teams in the postseason. While they marginally improved in the 2025-26 postseason, it’s still an area the Thunder need to grow in.
The Thunder will need three-point shooting even more this season, as they traded Isaiah Joe, a 42.3% three-point shooter who took six attempts per game last season, to the Detroit Pistons. Joe has long been the Thunder’s best weapon from deep, and without him, it’s very important that they fill his role with a capable shooter in order to ensure the Thunder can create good spacing.
Enter Bennett Stirtz. A Career 37.2% three-point shooter who specializes in the kind of long-range shooting the Thunder desperately need. In Stirtz time at Iowa, he shot almost seven three-pointers per game, but rarely were they the kind of looks he will be getting playing next to any of the regular Thunder roster. At Iowa, Stirtz was their leading scorer, and in many ways, he was their entire offense. Not only was he relied on to consistently hit three-pointers, but he was in many ways their main creator as well as an iso scorer at times. All of the offensive load he carried often resulted in him attempting three-point shots from long distance or jacking up movement threes whenever he had the opportunity. That simply will not be the case in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder have plenty of offensive depth that will keep many of their young players from seeing meaningful minutes this season, but Stirtz ability to hit open threes could get him on the court much sooner than his fellow draftees. With gravitational offensive players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Ajay Mitchell on the court, Stirtz should be able to see the court early and meaningfully impact this team as a spot-up shooter.
