ESPN’s Dick Vitale Drops Surprising Endorsement on Iowa’s Latest Transfer Portal Gem—What This Means for the Team’s Future

The buzz around Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball this offseason? Electric, to say the least. With Ben McCollum stepping into the head coach role, the vibe is totally refreshed—like a gust of spring air sweeping through the locker room. But what really has fans on their feet is the splash of transfer portal talent McCollum has brought in. At the center of it all: Bennett Stirtz, the gifted guard who followed McCollum from Drake, igniting serious excitement. Stirtz isn’t just a new face; he’s a game-changer, a critical piece poised to elevate the Hawkeyes and potentially carve a spot in the NCAA Tournament spotlight. And hey, it’s no wonder Dick Vitale named him among the biggest transfer portal winners this season—this kid’s skill set has “breakout” written all over it. Last year’s Missouri Valley Player of the Year, with shooting percentages that sparkle, is ready to tackle the Big Ten and make defenders sweat. You don’t want to blink when the season kicks off—there’s some serious hoops drama brewing here. LEARN MORE

One of those talents comes in the form of guard Bennett Stirtz, who is following McCollum from Drake to Iowa. The Hawkeyes landing Stirtz is arguably their biggest move of the offseason.Last year, Bennett Stirtz was a 49.8% shooter from the field and a 39.5% shooter from three-point range. He averaged 19.2 points per game to go with 5.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds.Stirtz is a skilled combo guard with a silky arc shot and a knack for scoring around the rim. The Big Ten’s a step up, but this kid’s got the talent to adapt and excel in his first year with the Hawkeyes. In that motion offense, Stirtz will slice and dice Big Ten defenses like a Ginsu knife! – Dick Vitale, ESPNIt’s awesome, baby!

It is also a move that finds itself named of Dick Vitale’s biggest winners of the offseason transfer portal heading into the 2025-26 college basketball season.That is what Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball fans have been shouting all offseason as the program has done a complete facelift with the addition of new head coach Ben McCollum. His arrival at the Hawkeyes has given them a breath of fresh air with an injection of transfer portal talent.

Bennett Stirtz, Iowa Hawkeyes

Stirtz, the Missouri Valley Player of the Year last year, gives Iowa one of the top guards in the Big Ten, and possibly even the entire college basketball landscape, who can lift this team to an NCAA Tournament berth with some help from others.Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7