Grading Iowa State Basketball Star Joshua Jefferson's Senior Season

What grade should Joshua Jefferson receive for his senior season with the Iowa State Cyclones?

Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) drives to the basket around Texas Tech Red Raiders forward LeJuan Watts (3) during the second half at T-Mobile Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones might have seen their season come to an end a bit earlier than they would have liked, but the overall campaign was a very strong one for the program. 

Right from the start of the year, it was pretty clear that it was going to be a special season for the Cyclones. The team got off to a 16-0 start with some signature wins right out of the gate. It was a program record for Iowa State, and they were ranked as high as number two in the country at one point. 

The hot start quickly resulted in the Cyclones being considered as one of the best teams in the country and a contender for a trip to the Final Four. While there might have been some bumps along the way, Iowa State was ranked as a two-seed in the NCAA tournament, and they had a lot of momentum. 

Unfortunately, an injury in the very beginning of their first-round game resulted in them losing star forward Joshua Jefferson. This injury has resulted in a ‘what-if’ for the Cyclones, and it ended their year perhaps a bit early. However, while Jefferson would have undoubtedly liked to see his campaign end on a better note, he was an excellent player all year. Here is his season grade for the 2025-26 campaign. 

Jefferson Gets an ‘A’

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson | William Purnell-Imagn Images

To start the year, there were a few players in the country who were as good as Jefferson. The senior forward was considered to be in the early running for the National Player of the Year award, which ultimately went to Cameron Boozer of the Duke Blue Devils. However, even though he might have cooled down a bit from the fantastic start to the campaign, it was still an excellent year. 

Overall, Jefferson averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. As a forward, there were few players in the country who were able to do what he did from an overall production standpoint. 

It was certainly a disappointing end to the season for him, especially considering how well he played in the Big 12 tournament. Now, the talented forward will be taking his talents to the next level, and it will be interesting to see where he might get drafted. 

Following a really outstanding senior season, his draft stock is certainly on the rise, and he capped off an excellent two years with the Cyclones.