Liberty High postgraduate Joshua Jefferson was an All-American forward successful 2025-26 for Iowa State. He added different favoritism Tuesday night.
First-round NBA draught selection.
Jefferson was selected Tuesday with the 28th prime successful the NBA draught by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who traded the prime — with guardant Julius Randle — to the Brooklyn Nets successful a woody yet to beryllium finalized.
As a result, Jefferson becomes the archetypal section first-round draught prime since 2023, erstwhile chap Patriots postgraduate Julian Strawther was picked 29th by the Denver Nuggets.
A authorities champion arsenic a elder astatine Liberty successful 2021-22, Jefferson graduated arsenic a three-star enlistee — matriculating astatine Saint Mary’s and playing sparingly his freshman season. He started for the Gaels his sophomore play and transferred the ensuing offseason to Iowa State, wherever helium showcased his skills nether erstwhile UNLV manager T.J. Otzelberger.
As a sturdy 6-foot-9-inch guardant who passes similar a constituent defender and defends with versatility, Jefferson averaged 13 points — connected 52% shooting and 31% 3-point shooting — 7.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.1 steals his inferior season. Otzelberger made him the focal constituent of Iowa State’s discourtesy during his elder season. He responded by averaging 16.4 points (47.1% shooting, 34.5% 3-point shooting), 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.6 steals.
“We saw an accidental to proceed to enactment him successful space, fto him pb the break, fundamentally play him arsenic a constituent defender arsenic 6-9,” Otzelberger said. “Just felt similar his quality — his ballhandling had improved immensely.
“He sees the crippled a measurement ahead. Just a agleam young man. We thought helium could beryllium a dynamic playmaker that could beryllium a existent matchup problem.”
The NBA draught concludes Wednesday with the 2nd circular successful which Houston defender Milos Uzan (Desert Pines) and North Carolina State guardant Darrion Williams (Bishop Gorman) mightiness beryllium section draftees.
Contact Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected X.
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