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NBA Draft: Three Mid-Major Transfers With Intriguing Statistical Profiles
Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz (14) looks to shoot a free throw during practice June 19, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the college basketball season a few months away and the 2026 NBA Draft cycle set to begin, people around the basketball world will be looking to find college players who may be poised for big seasons after significantly impacting the mid-major level. Let's take a look at three of those players below.

Donovan Dent, UCLA

Dent is a 6-foot-2 guard who averaged 20.4 points, 6.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 3.1 turnovers per game for New Mexico last season while shooting 58.9% at the rim, 37.5% on non-rim twos, 40.9% from three (66 attempts), and 78.4% from the free throw line (227 attempts).

Additionally, Dent recorded a significant 2.1 steal percentage and 2.7 block percentage. Lastly, Dent was unassisted on 75.2% of his made field goals last season while assisting an estimated 35.6% of his teammates' made field goals when on the floor.

Look for Dent to make an impact alongside Eric Dailey Jr, Trent Perry, and Michigan State transfer Xavier Booker this upcoming season at UCLA.

AK Okereke, Vanderbilt

Okereke is a 6-foot-7, 220-pound wing who averaged 13.9 points, 4.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 1.1 blocks, and 1.9 turnovers per game for Cornell last season while shooting 67.6% at the rim (148 attempts), 57.1% on non-rim twos, 32.1% from three (53 attempts), and 79.3% from the free throw line (116 attempts).

Additionally, the Cornell grad recorded a 5.7 offensive rebound percentage, a 2.3 steal percentage, and a 4.4 block percentage. Lastly, Okereke was unassisted on 64.2% of his made field goals last season while assisting an estimated 28.5% of his teammates' made field goals when on the floor.

Look for Okereke to make an immediate impact for Vanderbilt and be in 2026 NBA Draft conversations.

Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

Perhaps the most talked about of mid-major transfers, Stirtz led the Drake Bulldogs last season to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 0.3 blocks, and two turnovers per game last season while shooting 72.1% at the rim (147 attempts), 37.3% on non-rim twos (150 attempts), 39.5% from three (162 attempts), and 79.4% from the free throw line (180 attempts).

Additionally, he recorded a 3.5 steal percentage and 0.9 block percentage, impacting the game as an event creator defensively. Lastly, the 6-foot-4 guard was unassisted on 75.8% of his made field goals last season while assisting an estimated 34.2% of his teammates' made field goals when on the floor.

Look for Stirtz to continue to make an impact at Iowa and likely solidify himself as a first round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.


This article first appeared on NBA Draft on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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