Why 2026 Draft Prospect Bennett Stirtz Could be Perfect Fit for Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been on the doorstep of the NBA Finals each of the past two years.

While Anthony Edwards and company fell to the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 and OKC Thunder in 2025, the Wolves have been one of the best teams in the league for a few years now. Even after making changes heading into the 2024-25 campaign, though, the group wasn't able to take the next step and win the Western Conference for the first time.

Over the offseason, Minnesota lost Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency, but resigned Naz Reid and Julius Randle. Additionally, the Wolves added Joan Beringer in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, who turned in a strong summer league performance.

Despite Minnesota's offseason moves, the team has a similar roster to the group that stalled out against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals. While Chris Finch's team is one of the best in the NBA, the Wolves have visible flaws.

Most notably, Minnesota needs another reliable ball handler and play maker to help run the Wolves offense alongside Edwards. OKC forced the ball out of the young superstar's hands in the playoffs, and the rest of Finch's team couldn't muster enough offense to make the Thunder pay.

This season, it appears that Minnesota will rely on Terrence Shannon Jr. and Rob Dillingham, a pair of first round picks from 2024, to step into larger roles and help take some of the load off Edwards.

Neither player made much of an impact for the Wolves during their rookie season, and if Shannon and Dillingham aren't able to crack Finch's rotation in year two, Minnesota may look for another option. After paying Reid and Randle over the summer, finding a guard in the draft would likely work better with the Wolves' finances.

A recent 2026 mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman at Bleacher Report paired Iowa's Bennett Stirtz with Minnesota at pick No. 23 overall.

Stirtz is entering his fourth year of college basketball after spending two years at Northwest Missouri State, a Division II school, and a year at Drake. In his lone season with the Bulldogs, the 6-foot-4 guard averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals while shooting 49.8% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range.

A good passer, shooter and defender with plenty of experience, Stirtz seems like a solid fit on a Timberwolves team with active championship aspirations.

Stirtz will turn 22-years-old in October, and if the potential first-round pick has a strong season in the Big Ten, there's a chance that the Hawkeyes' senior is a top-20 selection.