Knicks Amongst Best Fits for Joshua Jefferson in NBA Draft

Iowa State Cyclones star forward Joshua Jefferson is an intriguing prospect heading into the 2026 NBA Draft.

There are some teams that will view his age in a negative light, believing that he doesn’t have the upside of some of his peers. That will push him into the end of the first round, early second round, despite having some attributes and skills that can help a team right away.

While rebuilding teams may pass on him, contenders should show a strong interest in him. Jefferson has the size to survive in the NBA, listed at 6-foot-9 and 245 pounds, and the IQ to make up for whatever he lacks in athleticism.

Where could he end up in the draft? Here are three of the best fits for the Cyclones star.

New York Knicks

The 2026 NBA Champion New York Knicks are facing a bit of a roster crunch. They have been able to stay under the second apron for this long, but face some incredibly difficult decisions if they want to remain a first apron team.

Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson are key rotation players who are hitting free agency. Retaining all of their free agents will be a challenge, but draft picks provide them an affordable avenue to fill out the roster.

In win-now mode, looking to defend their title, Jefferson is a great target. Having additional ball handlers and playmakers alongside Jalen Brunson is a must for the team to succeed. Jefferson could do both from the frontcourt while offering positional size; New York lacked true power forward options to bang on the interior.

If he can figure out his jump shot, the Iowa State star has a long NBA career ahead of him.

Detroit Pistons

The No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference fell flat in the postseason, barely getting past the Orlando Magic before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. This is a team that needs more playmaking around Cade Cunningham, who was forced too often to carry the load himself.

With rumors swirling about roster changes, if the Pistons keep their first-round pick, Jefferson fits their style of play. He can anchor a second unit with his playmaking ability, and his hard-nosed defense fits what they are looking to do as well.

Their roster could get very expensive soon, with Isaiah Stewart a possible trade chip. The Cyclones star won’t replicate his defensive prowess, but he has much more upside offensively as a playmaker and scorer.

Oklahoma City Thunder

With multiple first-round picks and a roster that is about to explode financially with extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams kicking in, the Thunder are a team to keep an eye on in the first round.

Will they look to acquire future assets in exchange for this year’s picks? If they hold onto their selections, they need to find players who can step into the rotation in a pinch, especially if they keep selling off roster pieces. They already traded Aaron Wiggins to shave some salary.

Set to contend in the Western Conference for years to come, Jefferson is ready to handle rotation minutes and will be a steal if he can get his 3-point shot figured out.

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