Brooklyn Nets · No. 28 overall
Joshua Jefferson
Forward · Iowa State (Senior) · Age 22
6'7.75" · 246 lbs
Brooklyn landed Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson with the No. 28 pick, acquired from Minnesota in the Julius Randle trade (drafted by the Wolves and sent to the Nets). A 22-year-old point-forward, Jefferson is one of the most well-rounded players in the class — a connective passer and high-feel decision-maker who scores from all three levels — though weak athletic testing tempers the NBA upside into a rotation projection.
Measurables
- Height
- 6'7.75"
- Weight
- 246 lbs
- Assist rate
- 27.7%
- Age
- 22
College season (per game)
- PPG
- 16.4
- RPG
- 7.4
- APG
- 4.8
- FG%
- 47.1%
- 3P%
- 34.5%
- FT%
- 70.0%
Strengths
- +Elite frontcourt playmaking — a 27.7% assist rate is rare for a forward; he connects the offense and creates for others within the flow.
- +Genuinely well-rounded: passing and feel, secondary creation, defensive activity, and balanced scoring around the key and with his back to the basket.
- +Improving shooter — nearly doubled his three-point volume to ~2.9 attempts a game while lifting his accuracy toward 40%.
- +High basketball IQ and decision-making; a low-maintenance connective piece.
Weaknesses
- –Athletic limitations — tested poorly, without elite burst or vertical pop, which can cap finishing through NBA length.
- –Shooting consistency wavers in stretches, and the jumper still has to prove out on NBA volume.
- –Not a commanding NBA post threat despite the sturdy frame.
- –Older prospect (22) — a narrower development runway than a one-and-done.
Player comparisons
Stylistic comp
Kyle Anderson
Ceiling
Two-way connective starter
Floor
Energy + secondary-playmaking reserve
Fit in Brooklyn
Brooklyn gets a pass-first, low-usage forward to complement its scorers — a glue piece who keeps the ball moving and can defend multiple spots. With the rebuild's runway, Jefferson can develop the jumper without pressure; the athletic questions make him a rotation projection rather than a star bet, but the feel and versatility travel.
Film & clips
Sources
- Bleacher Report — scouting report
- Sports Illustrated — prospect profile
- NBADraft.net — Joshua Jefferson
- We Are Iowa — Nets land Jefferson
Brooklyn acquired the No. 28 pick (used on Jefferson) from Minnesota in the Julius Randle trade. Scouting evaluations are aggregated from the cited draft analysts and are inherently subjective; measurables and per-game figures are from his 2025-26 season at Iowa State.