Liberty’s Joshua Jefferson picked in the first round of the NBA draft

Liberty High graduate Joshua Jefferson was an All-American forward in 2025-26 for Iowa State. He added another distinction Tuesday night.

First-round NBA draft selection.

Jefferson was selected Tuesday with the 28th pick in the NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who traded the pick — with forward Julius Randle — to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal yet to be finalized.

As a result, Jefferson becomes the first local first-round draft pick since 2023, when fellow Patriots graduate Julian Strawther was picked 29th by the Denver Nuggets.

A state champion as a senior at Liberty in 2021-22, Jefferson graduated as a three-star recruit — matriculating at Saint Mary’s and playing sparingly his freshman season. He started for the Gaels his sophomore season and transferred the ensuing offseason to Iowa State, where he showcased his skills under former UNLV coach T.J. Otzelberger.

As a sturdy 6-foot-9-inch forward who passes like a point guard and defends with versatility, Jefferson averaged 13 points — on 52% shooting and 31% 3-point shooting — 7.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.1 steals his junior season. Otzelberger made him the focal point of Iowa State’s offense during his senior season. He responded by averaging 16.4 points (47.1% shooting, 34.5% 3-point shooting), 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.6 steals.

“We saw an opportunity to continue to put him in space, let him lead the break, essentially play him as a point guard as 6-9,” Otzelberger said. “Just felt like his intelligence — his ballhandling had improved immensely.

“He sees the game a step ahead. Just a bright young man. We thought he could be a dynamic playmaker that could be a real matchup problem.”

The NBA draft concludes Wednesday with the second round in which Houston guard Milos Uzan (Desert Pines) and North Carolina State forward Darrion Williams (Bishop Gorman) might be local draftees.

Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on X.