Joshua Jefferson didn’t just hear his name called in the 2026 NBA Draft - he walked into a situation that could shape how the Brooklyn Nets use him right away.
The Iowa State star was selected No. 28 overall, ending a five-year stretch without a Cyclones player being drafted. The last one before him was Tyrese Haliburton, who went No. 12 overall to the Sacramento Kings in 2020.
Jefferson was at the draft even without a green room invitation, and he said he expected to come off the board in the first round. That confidence paid off when the Minnesota Timberwolves made the pick, though the No. 28 selection had already been dealt and ultimately belonged to Brooklyn.
That’s where the real intrigue starts. The Nets may not be the cleanest landing spot for a rookie trying to carve out a role, but they clearly see a specific way to use Jefferson.
During his pre-draft visit with Brooklyn, Jefferson said the conversation quickly turned to how his game fits. He described the exchange this way: “When they brought me in on Monday, it was kind of just with the norm, tell us about yourself.
Tell us about your game. What do you think you get better at?
What do you think of your strengths? And then there was a point where I was like, ‘I think my volume of the ball being in my hands would go down, as rookies don’t kind of walk into that role.
And then the GM was kind of like, ‘Well, I think that’s where your value is, is having the ball in your hands and processing,’”
That kind of answer makes sense for what Jefferson showed at Iowa State. As a senior, he put up a career-best 4.8 assists per game and worked as an offensive hub for T.J. Otzelberger’s team.
His appeal is obvious: he sees the floor, processes quickly and makes reads that most frontcourt players simply don’t make. Brooklyn noticed that, and Jefferson believes the franchise is planning to lean into it.
“I think I’ll have the opportunity to still showcase my skillset in that way. They’re really high on me and think I’m a great fit within their team.”
I think that’s why they traded up to pick me. I have a lot of gratefulness for them believing in me so much,” he added.
None of that guarantees easy minutes. Jefferson will have to earn his spot with the Nets, who also added Julius Randle in the trade that sent the pick their way. Randle is set to start at power forward, with Michael Porter Jr. next to him.
Brooklyn has also invested first-round capital in ball-handlers and guards in recent years, including Mikel Brown Jr. with the No. 6 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. That leaves a crowded path for Jefferson, especially in the forward rotation. Still, the Nets clearly believe his skill set is worth developing.
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Iowa State Just Revealed Two Program Defining Honors
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For Iowa State, the appeal of these honors is in how different they are and how equally valuable they felt. Jeffersons impact came on the court, where he paired consistency with rare production, while Kirwa made her mark on the track by winning at the national level and reshaping the school record book before most freshmen have settled in. The only question now is how much more both athletes can still add to their legacies, because the way each season unfolded left the Cyclones with a lot to look forward to. [Read more 🡒]