Iowa State Star Justin Jefferson Moving Up in First Round of Recent NBA Mock Draft

A recent NBA mock draft features Iowa State Cyclones star Joshua Jefferson right outside of the lottery.

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) drives to the basket between Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Anthony Roy (9) and Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Kanye Clary (1) during the first half in the Big-12 men’s basketball on Jan. 10, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones suffered their first loss of the 2025-26 season on the road against the Kansas Jayhawks. Allen Fieldhouse has been a house of horrors for the program, and most of the Big 12, in recent years, and that continued in an 84-63 blowout loss.

It was an uncharacteristic game for the Cyclones, who played sloppily on the offensive end and were unable to contain the Jayhawks with any consistency on the defensive end. One of the main culprits in the team’s struggles was Joshua Jefferson.

He turned the ball over five times and shot only four of 14 from the field. During a season in which he has been near the top of the National Player of the Year Award rankings, it was certainly a surprise to see him struggle as much as he did.

Alas, one poor game isn’t going to change his long-term outlook too much. What Jefferson accomplished in the first 16 games of the season was more than enough to get him on the radar of NBA teams ahead of the 2026 draft.

Which team does Joshua Jefferson land with in recent NBA mock draft?

Jan 7, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Baylor Bears at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The talented forward began the year barely inside the top 100 players in big boards, but steadily moved up the rankings as the season moved along. Now, he is finding himself well inside the first round, just outside of the lottery, in mock drafts.

In a recent one shared by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, Jefferson lands with the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 17. The only thing working against him at this point in the process is age.

There are a lot of teams that would prefer to take a chance on a younger prospect they view as a moldable piece. He will turn 23 years old during his rookie season in the NBA, and may not be looked upon as a player with as much upside.

However, if his performance during the 2025-26 season is an indication of anything, it is that he is a diligent worker who is willing to improve upon his game. With leading scorers Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert not returning to the team, there was a void that needed to be filled, and Jefferson stepped right into it.

joshua jefferson playmaking. pic.twitter.com/oFhVoq7tU6

— Tyler Rucker (@tyler_rucker) January 1, 2026

His playmaking has been truly impressive, averaging 4.9 assists per game. Couple that with his improvements as a 3-point shooter, knocking down 36.7% of his attempts, and he has turned himself into a legitimate NBA prospect.

With excellent size at 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, he possesses the kind of versatility that teams are looking for in an NBA that goes more and more positionless every year. His skill set enables him to play a number of roles, and he gets it done defensively as well.

Jefferson’s stock is on the rise, looking like a legitimate pro.