After making a name for himself as a ball-dominant stud throughout his four-year collegiate career, Bennett Stirtz is now being looked to as primarily an off-ball role player with the OKC Thunder.
Though perhaps a stark contrast to how he's used to playing, the rookie seems to be flourishing so far this preseason while stationed outside his traditional comfort zone.
On Friday, he highlighted a key reason why he believes this shift has been so seamless.
To Stirtz, switching from an isolation-heavy style of play to more of an off-ball floater role with the Thunder has been as easy as it looks due, in large part, to the presence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander running beside him, as he said: "It's easier when you have the best player in the world out there."
The two-time MVP arguably generates the strongest on-court gravity of any player currently in the association, as he's established himself as one of the greatest and most efficient offensive weapons the game has ever seen, particularly with his historically consistent scoring production.
Whether it's the doubles he draws from opposing defenses or simply having someone of his ilk in his ear, there's no doubt that having someone like SGA on his side is highly beneficial for the growth of Stirtz's game.
Thunder rookie has had the tools to play off-ball all along
Despite the fact that he predominantly played as an on-ball initiator in college, throughout his tenure in the NCAA, Bennett Stirtz also flashed some serious upside as an off-ball weapon.
This was most notable during his lone season with the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2025-26, when the point guard converted on roughly 52 percent of his catch-and-shoot looks.
While it may still be early in his pro career, and though it has only come against preseason effort from opposing defenses, this skill set is already shining through in his rookie year.
Through two preseason games played, Stirtz has registered a total of 35 points, 19 of which have come from off-the-catch shooting sets.
Whether it's while roaming around the perimeter to create space between him and his defender or gunning to the rack on a quick cut, Stirtz has constantly been in motion without the ball in his hands when on the hardwood.
Considering the Thunder heavily lean on their supporting cast's ability to knock down shots off the pass, as they ranked within the top 10 in catch-and-shoot attempts from beyond the arc last season and placed second in this area during the playoffs, it's safe to say Stirtz is already showing signs that he has what it takes to flourish in OKC's offensive scheme.
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