Joshua Jefferson 2026 Draft Media Availability
Joshua Jefferson addresses the media after being selected No. 28 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Overview
Joshua Jefferson led Liberty High in Henderson, Nevada, to a Class 5A state championship, averaging 18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals per game as a senior. He committed to Saint Mary’s but barely cracked the rotation as a freshman, then broke out as a sophomore with 10.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Jefferson transferred to Iowa State and averaged 13.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.1 steals as a junior, punctuating the year with 10 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals and two blocks in a first-round NCAA tournament win over Lipscomb. He returned for his senior season and leveled up, putting up 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.9 minutes per game on 47%/35%/70% shooting. The campaign closed with consensus second-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 honors, and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament for Iowa State.
Career Highlights
- 2025-26 consensus All-America Second Team selection and Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year finalist.
- Tied for the NCAA Division I lead with two triple-doubles in 2025-26.
- Became the first player in Big 12 history to record multiple triple-doubles in conference play in a season.
- Selected to the 2025-26 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List.
- As a junior in 2024-25, ranked third in the Big 12 in steals (2.1 spg) and seventh in rebounding (7.4 rpg).
Analysis
Jefferson excelled at the college level as a playmaking forward with great size. He orchestrated Iowa State’s offense out of the pick-and-roll, attacked closeouts hard and used his vision to find open teammates anywhere on the court. Jefferson makes an impact defensively as well. His motor and anticipation result in a high steal rate. His 240-pound frame lets him switch across multiple positions and absorb contact. The three-point stroke has trended upward every season, and his interior finishing has real room to climb as he adds craft to the physicality he already brings.
Projection
Jefferson projects as a connective point forward who makes every lineup he joins run more smoothly on both ends of the floor. He will set screens, find cutters, switch across multiple positions and pull down rebounds. He doesn’t need the ball to impact the game, which is exactly what contending teams covet in a rotation forward. NBA comparisons for Jefferson can be made to players like Scottie Barnes and Lamar Odom. The combination of elite playmaking feel, four years of high-level defensive production and a pro-ready frame gives him one of the safest floors in this class.
— Profile by RotoWire.com with additional info from the official NBA Draft Media Guide