Joshua Jefferson Key To Becoming NBA Player Revealed

Iowa State Cyclones star Joshua Jefferson has done a wonderful job of putting himself in a position to be selected in the 2026 NBA Draft.

He wasn’t on many evaluators and scouts radars coming into the 2025-26 season, but that changed as he stuffed the stat sheet on a nightly basis. Jefferson has a real chance of being selected in the first round and is almost assuredly going to snap the five-year streak that Iowa State has without a player being selected.

Recent mock drafts have him being selected by the Boston Celtics at No. 27. Multiple outlets believe that is where he will land, with his range being anywhere from the 20s through the early portion of the second round.

Jefferson is talented enough to help a team right away. His versatility is his best asset, capable of filling several different roles for a team in the frontcourt. However, there is one thing that an anonymous scout believes is an area that needs to improve: his aggressiveness.

Joshua Jefferson needs to show more confidence in his jump shot

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) reacts during the second half against the Arizona State Sun Devils. — Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) reacts during the second half against the Arizona State Sun Devils at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

"I watched him warm up, and his shot mechanics are sound," shared Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network, via an anonymous NBA scout. "They're tight, they're quick, they're repeatable. He's got effortless 3-point range.

"But then it gets in the game and he won't shoot it. He'll pass up an open 3 and back down to get into the post and some below the rim jump hook. That just drives me nuts. That is not going to translate to the NBA. And if he wants to be an NBA player, he's going to have to be a wing that shoots 3s and attacks closeouts and passes."

That hesitancy to shoot the ball is something that Jefferson has to work through. He made 34.5% of his 3-point attempts during his senior year, which is the best single-season mark of his collegiate career.

During the NBA combine, he had good, but not great, shooting numbers, which essentially solidified what scouts thought about him heading into the pre-draft process. He finished in ninth place in both the side-mid-side and 3-point star drill, making 15-of-27 and 15-of-25 attempts.

However, he wasn’t nearly as efficient shooting off the dribble, making 16-of-30 attempts. And his spot-up shooting left something to be desired, making 11-of-25. Free-throw shooting was an area of weakness at points during his senior year, and it reared its ugly head again during the combine, shooting 5-of-10.

Shooting is the one skill that will determine how much of an impact Jefferson can have at the next level. There is so much to like about his game, from his playmaking ability, high basketball IQ and defensive versatility.

Those are the skills that will get him drafted; how big a role he has with a team will likely come down to his willingness to shoot the ball and ability to knock down shots.

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