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2026 NBA Prospects Bolster Draft Stock in Epic Iowa State-Arizona Matchup

A handful of potential NBA Draft picks shined in the Big 12 Tournament's semifinal game between the Wildcats and Cyclones.
Randall Sweet|
Mar 2, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) shoots over Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) during the first half of the game at McKale Memorial Center.
Mar 2, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) shoots over Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) during the first half of the game at McKale Memorial Center. | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

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Iowa State CyclonesArizona Wildcats

The month of March has already delivered a handful of thrilling college basketball games.

In the best time of the year for NCAA hoops, mutliple teams have already won tight games and gone on Cinderella runs during conference tournaments.

In the SEC, No. 15-seed Mississippi reached the semifinals with a win against Alabama, who is ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25. After completing an unbeaten regular season, Miami (OH) was downed in the first round of the MAC Tournament, while Arkansas ended Oklahoma's run with a narrow three-point win on Friday.

Earlier in the day, Iowa State and Arizona met in a thrilling contest for the Big 12 Tournament semifinals that saw the Wildcats secure an 82-80 win. While a pair of likely NBA Draft picks starred for the Cyclones, Arizona's Jaden Bradley was the game's hero, hitting a shot at the buzzer to send the Wildcats to the Big 12 title game.

Bradley finished the game with 15 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, a block and 0 turnovers while shooting 6-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point range.

Bradley has been one of the team's most reliable players this year, averaging a career-high 13.3 points per game while shooting 46.3% from the field and 38.2% from 3-point range on low volume. The former five-star recruit is also putting up 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.

Bradley was rated the No. 26 overall player and No. 3 point guard in the 2022 recruiting class, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings, and started his career at Alabama. After one season with the Crimson Tide, though, the former IMG Academy star transferred to Arizona.

Now, Bradley has helped lead his team to the No. 2 position in the AP Top 25 and a spot in the Big 12 Championship. While the 6-foot-3, 205-pound guard hasn't received much attention in NBA Draft spaces, the veteran could earn a spot in the second round of the 2026 class with a strong close to his senior season.

In the NCAA Tournament, Bradley will have more opportunity to prove himself to NBA scouts on the big stage. While his height and age may be a concern for some teams, the Wildcats' star has the experience and all-around skill set to be a solid depth guard at the next level.

For Iowa State, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson, who will both likely hear their name called this summer, had strong showings. Momcilovic scored a game-high 28 points to go along with 5 rebounds, a block and just one turnover, shooting 10-of-18 from the field and 8-of-14 from 3-point range.

Jefferson, who could be a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, tallied 21 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and a block while shooting 9-of-17 from the field and 3-of-7 from deep.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.

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