Joshua Jefferson Named to Midseason Top 10 List for Prestigious Award

This season could be full of accolades for Iowa State Cyclones star Joshua Jefferson.

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

One of the reasons that the Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team has found so much success this season has been the performance of star forward Joshua Jefferson.

After contemplating a change of scenery for a second straight year by entering the transfer portal, Jefferson decided to stick with the Cyclones. He wanted the opportunity to be the No. 1 guy on a team, and Iowa State could provide him that.

It has been a match made in heaven with the talented forward taking his game to another level. So much so, he has been selected for another award list at the midway point of the campaign.

Jefferson has been named to the Karl Malone Award Midseason Top 10 list, which is given to the best power forward in Division I men’s college basketball. In 2016, the second year the award was ever given out, Iowa State star Georges Niang won it.

Joshua Jefferson amongst best power forwards in country

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) drives with the ball to the basket around Colorado Buffaloes forward Sebastian Rancik (7) during the first half in the Big-12 men’s basketball on Jan. 29, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two more Big 12 players are on the list as well: Koa Peat of the Arizona Wildcats and JT Toppin of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The other seven players selected to the top 10 are Cameron Boozer of the Duke Blue Devils, Graham Ike of the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Malik Reneau of the Miami Hurricanes, Yaxel Lendeborg of the Michigan Wolverines, Caleb Wilson of the North Carolina Tar Heels, Trey Kaufman-Renn of the Purdue Boilermakers and Alex Karaban of the UConn Huskies.

Jefferson has certainly earned his spot amongst the best players at his position in Division I men’s college basketball. Coming into the year, he was viewed as one of the best stretch-4 bigs in the country, and he has not disappointed.

He stuffs the stat sheet on a nightly basis, averaging 17.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.9 blocks in 31.3 minutes per game. His improvement as a jump shooter has been impressive to see as well, with a .496/.406/.718 shooting split.

Joshua Jefferson having historic season for Cyclones

Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger congratulates forward Joshua Jefferson (5) after a triple-double during the second half against UFC in the Big-12 conference men’s basketball on Jan. 20, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Those statistical plateaus aren’t being reached by any other player in the country. In fact, only six players since the 1974-75 campaign have produced those numbers in a full season.

Jefferson also became the first player in Big 12 history to record multiple triple-doubles against conference foes and also the first to have multiple in the same season.

With his inclusion on the Karl Malone Top 10 list, the Cyclones have three players on the Starting 5 Awards lists. Tamin Lipsey made the Bob Cousy Award top 10 for best point guard and Milan Momcilovic was selected for the Julius Irving Award top 10 for the best small forward.

Arizona is the only other program to have at least three players make the midseason award top 10 lists.