Iowa State Part of Historic 2026 NBA Draft First Round for Big 12

The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft was historic for the Big 12.

Nov 10, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; The Big 12 Conference logo is seen on the court during the game between the Detroit Mercy Titans and the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Fifth Third Arena. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team was in the midst of a drought when it came to having a player selected in the NBA draft.

Before the 2026 NBA Draft, the last time Iowa State had someone selected was in 2020 when the Sacramento Kings selected Tyrese Haliburton No. 12 overall. That streak came to an end in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, when Joshua Jefferson was selected No. 28 overall.

While he was not invited to the green room, he decided to attend the draft anyway. It ended up being the right decision, as the Minnesota Timberwolves selected him with the pick that is heading to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Julius Randle salary dump.

It was a special day for Jefferson, hearing his name called on draft night in the first round. He also became part of history as one of nine players selected on Day 1 who played at a Big 12 school.

Joshua Jefferson part of historic first round for Big 12

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) celebrates after winning 66-62 over Iowa in the men’s basketball Cy-Hawk series on Dec. 11, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That is the most first-round picks that the conference has ever had, beating the previous record of seven, which was set in 2010. Nearly one-third of the draft picks made in Round 1 were players from Big 12 programs, and seven different teams in the conference had a player picked.

AJ Dybantsa of the BYU Cougars was selected first overall by the Washington Wizards. The No. 2 pick was Darryn Peterson of the Kansas Jayhawks, who landed with the Utah Jazz.

Two Houston Cougars players were picked. Point guard Kingston Flemings went to the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 8 overall pick, and Chris Cenac Jr. was selected No. 27 by the Boston Celtics.

The first of two Arizona Wildcats players was next off the board, with the Milwaukee Bucks selecting Brayden Burries No. 10. His teammate, Koa Peat, was the No. 30 pick, which went from the Dallas Mavericks to the New York Knicks, and ultimately landed with the Phoenix Suns.

Nearly a third of the NBA’s 1st-round draft picks (nine of 30) played for Big 12 schools this past season.

This breaks the league’s previous record for most 1st-round selections (seven in 2010).

Big 12 record for most total draft picks is 10 (2008 and 2010).

— Greg Wrubell (@gregwrubell) June 24, 2026

Texas Tech Red Raiders point guard Christian Anderson was selected No. 18 overall by the Charlotte Hornets. Baylor Bears wing Cameron Carr was picked No. 24 by the Knicks, but the pick was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

With seven different programs producing a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, it goes to show just how deep and talented the Big 12 was during the 2025-26 campaign. And, more history could certainly be made on Day 2.

The most players selected in Big 12 history is 10; that occurred in 2008 and 2010. There is certainly a chance that the record will be shattered.

Jeremy Woo of ESPN has done a Round 2 mock draft, and six more players from the conference are featured. That doesn’t even include Cyclones star Tamin Lipsey, who is hoping to hear his name called after some successful pre-draft workouts.