Nets select Jefferson with 28th overall pick

The Brooklyn Nets selected Joshua Jefferson with the 28th overall pick in the NBA Draft, marking a historic moment for the Iowa State basketball program. Jefferson is the first Cyclone to be drafted since Tyrese Haliburton was taken 12th overall in 2020 and is only the sixth Iowa State player since the year 2000 to be a first-round selection. He joins an elite list of former Cyclones drafted in the first round.

During his standout senior season in 2025-26, Jefferson became the fifth consensus All-American in program history. He finished the year averaging 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, becoming the only Power Conference player in the nation to reach those statistical marks that season. His versatility was historically significant, as he became the first player in Big 12 history to record multiple triple-doubles in conference play, achieving the feat against West Virginia and UCF. Jefferson was remarkably consistent, scoring in double figures in 40 consecutive games before a season-ending injury occurred in the opening minutes of the NCAA Tournament against Tennessee State.

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Jefferson’s junior year in 2024-25 was equally record-breaking, as he became the first player in Big 12 history to accumulate at least 450 points, 250 rebounds, 100 assists, 70 steals, and 25 blocks in a single season. He ranked 18th nationally with 74 steals, which tied for the fourth-most in a single season in Iowa State history. In the NCAA Tournament against Lipscomb, he set a unique record by becoming the first player in tournament history to record at least 10 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and two blocks in a single game.

Before his success at Iowa State, Jefferson was a standout at Liberty High School in Las Vegas, where he led his team to its first-ever state championship. He began his collegiate career at Saint Mary’s, where he averaged 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds as a sophomore before a leg injury cut his season short and led to his transfer to Iowa State. He comes from a deep athletic background; his father, Ben Jefferson, played in the NFL, and both of his brothers played college football. Jefferson concluded his collegiate career with 1,029 points, ranking 35th all-time at Iowa State, and finished in the school’s top 20 for both career assists (276) and steals (131).