Sam Presti explains why OKC Thunder traded up for Bennett Stirtz

Always looking to ensure they get their guy, the Oklahoma City Thunder prolonged their tradition of trading up in the NBA draft. In this year's cycle, it was for Iowa's Bennett Stirtz. They moved up one spot at the No.

16 pick by sending the Memphis Grizzlies the No. 17 pick and two future second-round picks.Stirtz was a player who was constantly mocked in the lottery range.

The Thunder ensured that it manifested into reality. He had one of the more unique upbringings to become a top-16 pick. He played two years at D-II school Northwest Missouri State.

As head coach Ben McCollum made the jump to D-I at Drake, he brought Stirtz and others with him. And as he was once again promoted to the new Iowa head coach, he brought the 22-year-old along for the journey. By the end of Stirtz's collegiate career, he had played in four years at three different schools.

So what made the Thunder interested enough to move up a spot? Stirtz should seamlessly slide into their second-unit offense. He averaged 19.

8 points on 47.7% shooting, 4.4 assists and 2.

6 rebounds at Iowa. He shot 35.8% from 3 on 6.

9 attempts. As the Hawkeyes' main ball-handler, he'll be asked to downsize his role at the NBA level.The Thunder will have to figure out how to replace longtime role players Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins.

Both were traded to the East in cost-cutting moves. As those two leave, OKC suddenly has a vacuum of a combined 40 minutes and 16 shot attempts up for grabs. In comes Stirtz — who's a prime candidate to sponge up plenty of minutes and shot attempts.

At the Thunder's introductory press conference for their 2026 NBA draft class, Sam Presti explained why they felt like it was necessary to move up for Stirtz. Since 2019, they've moved up at least once in every draft class."In any situation, we're always looking to move up.

We have multiple plans to do different things if the players that we're looking to acquire are not available. In this case, it worked out for us," Presti said. "Bennett is a pl