Iowa State Part of Big 12 History During 2026 NBA Draft

The Iowa State Cyclones saw their program’s five-year drought of having a player selected in the NBA draft finally snap.

With the No. 28 pick in the first round, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Iowa State star Joshua Jefferson. He is on his way to the Brooklyn Nets, along with Julius Randle, as the selection was part of an agreed-upon trade.

That selection was part of history for the Big 12. Jefferson was one of nine players who played in the conference this past season who heard his name called in the first round. That contributed to another record for the Big 12.

In the second round, three more players heard their names called. The 13 players selected from the conference are the most in a single year in Big 12 history. There also isn’t a conference in the nation that has had more players selected than them.

Iowa State part of histortic 2026 NBA Draft for Big 12

Mar 14, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; The Big 12 logo is seen at center court prior to a game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Houston Cougars during the men's Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship at T-Mobile Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Anyone who argued that the Big 12 was the best men’s basketball conference in the country this past season had their stance strengthened by how things unfolded during the 2026 NBA Draft. This was a supremely talented conference, evidenced by just how many players were selected.

Nearly half of the top 10 came from the conference, with Nos. 1, 2, 8 and 10 all being Big 12 representatives. AJ Dybantsa of the BYU Cougars went first to the Washington Wizards, followed by Darryn Peterson of the Kansas Jayhawks to the Utah Jazz.

At No. 8, the Atlanta Hawks selected Houston Cougars point guard Kingston Flemings. No. 10 was Brayden Burries of the Arizona Wildcats going to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Christian Anderson of the Texas Tech Red Raiders went No. 18 to the Charlotte Hornets, Cameron Carr of the Baylor Bears was No. 24 to the New York Knicks, and subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Big 12 had 13 players selected, their most in a single draft in the Modern Draft Era (since 1966) 📈 pic.twitter.com/AWmqtTG2az
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) June 25, 2026

Chris Cenac Jr., another Houston player, was picked No. 27 by the Boston Celtics before Jefferson went off the board. And then to close the first round out, Koa Beat, another Arizona product, was selected and landed with the Phoenix Suns after a flurry of trades.

In the second round, Richie Saunders, another BYU product, was selected No. 32 overall by the Memphis Grizzlies. Cincinnati Bearcats big man Baba Miller was the No. 36 overall pick. Another former player of Kelvin Sampson’s, Emmanuel Sharp, was selected No. 45.

Last but not least for the Big 12 was a third Wildcat who played under Tommy Lloyd, reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, Jaden Bradley.

There are going to be plenty more players from the conference popping up in Summer League, such as Iowa State star point guard Tamin Lipsey, who signed with the Indiana Pacers shortly after the draft ended.

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