Evaluating a Potential Hornets' First Round Target: Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State

With the 2025-26 NCAA Basketball season concluding with the Michigan Wolverines taking home their first National Championship since 1989, the NBA Draft is on the horizon. Sixty players each year hear their name called in mid-June, with plenty more signing on to play in the NBA's Summer League in Las Vegas during July.

After using four draft picks (two first, two second) last season, the Charlotte Hornets are slated to have two total draft picks this season, both in the first round. They have their own, and the least favorable of Phoenix, Washington (1-8), Orlando, and Memphis.

With the Suns and Hornets both looking like playoff teams, it's all but likely that Charlotte ends up with two first round picks in the early 20s, the second time this decade they will not select in the top ten.

So, instead of looking primarily at the top of the draft board, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson will need to show off his drafting skills, and make the most of a later-first round pick. In such a strong class, though, it may be tough to select a miss.

Joshua Jefferson

Standing at 6'9, weighing 240 pounds, Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson caught my eye as I have begun to put together my 2026 NBA Draft Big Board. Jefferson is a senior, who has played the last two years as a Cyclone after spending the first two years of his collegiate career with St. Mary's.

In his senior season, Jefferson averaged career-highs nearly across the board, at 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and shot 34.5% from three.

Jefferson is not just one of the best playmakers for his size in this draft class, he's one of the best overall. In fact, amongst NBA players' at his position's last season at a collegiate level, Jefferson is in the 99th percentile for creation, box-creation and rim-assists. He averaged a career-high in assists last season at 4.8, and his 27.7% assist rate ranks in the 99th percentile as well.

Jefferson’s ability to pass from anywhere makes him a valuable secondary ball-handler. The Las Vegas native also does tend to be too risky with some of the passes he throws, sometimes trying to force passes or do too much. This, in turn, has led to 2.5 turnovers per game (which could be chalked up to his 90th percentile usage rate), though he's still in the 95th percentile for assist-to-turnover ratio.

Another strength for Jefferson is his strong defense, which sees him in the 92nd percentile for def-RAPM and steals, the 85th percentile for rebounds, and the 82nd for foul IQ. He averaged 1.6 steals this season, with a 3.1 steal percentage on top of that.

He often creates turnovers, and his frame allows him to take on the bigger matchups. Though his perimeter defense still does have questions with a smaller wingspan, Jefferson has consistently held his own and projects to be a plus-defender in the NBA.

As a scorer, Jefferson has struggled with efficiency. He ranks in the 48th percentile overall, posting a 56% true shooting percentage. His two-point percentage dropped each year, with his senior year putting up a 51.7% number, in the 46th percentile.

Per 100 possessions, he took around 6.9 mid-range shots and 6.1 three-point shots, where he respectively shot 38.7% and 34.5%. While his high usage plays a role, his efficiency has steadily improved each season.

Just a season ago, Jefferson shot 31.0% from three, and was at 27.6% the year before that. Of his 34.5% three-point shooting this season, 92% of his makes were assisted, putting him in the perfect spot for a Charles Lee offense that relies heavily on assisted three-point makes.

Jefferson will enter the league with a strong post-up game, and in the short mid-range was 25/59 (42.4%). His size and skill-set make backing down defenders extremely easy for him, though he still has his struggles scoring at the rim (57.1%) even though he is in the 87th percentile of creating rim-pressure.

That said, Jefferson will likely never be asked to be the primary scorer on an NBA team like he has on this Iowa St. team. His passing, defense, and ability to score when needed all do point to a fantastic role player in the NBA.

How does he fit the Hornets?

Mar 31, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee coaches against the Brooklyn Nets during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It's been a down year for Miles Bridges, who saw a decrease in his points per game this season, as well as his impact stats. Despite being the longest-tenured Hornet, it could be Bridges' final season in Charlotte after nearly a decade, and the Hornets will be on the search for a power forward.

Jefferson is slightly bigger than Bridges, but the two offensively have somewhat similar playstyles. They have the ability to create rim-pressure, can catch-and-shoot when needed, and much of their offensive game comes off of post-ups.

While Bridges can hold his own defensively, Jefferson is a much better defender, and can help against bigger fours where Bridges typically struggles. Not just that, but Jefferson is a significantly better playmaker than Miles, and would be another excellent playmaker on a Hornets team who already has several of them.

Jefferson would be an excellent Bridges replacement, though he lacks the athletic burst or vertical that the latter has. If available in the early 20s, Jefferson could be one of the more complete role players in this class, and a seamless fit in Charlotte’s evolving system.

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