The first round of the NBA Draft came and went in the blink of an eye on Tuesday Night.

A pair of Iowa-based college stars both heard their names called in round one, and both will have opportunities to contribute right out of the gate in their NBA careers.

Iowa alum and well-traveled star Bennett Stirtz was taken at pick #16 and will join the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Stirtz had one of the more unique college careers in recent memory, starting at DII Northwest Missouri State before moving on to Drake and ultimately finishing at Iowa. Stirtz was one of the many players on the move with now Iowa Head Coach Ben McCollum.

Per ESPN.com:

The verdict: Stirtz, on the short list of best guards in college basketball last season, carried a massive workload for Iowa, proving to be a capable and efficient offensive engine. He's on the older side for a first-round pick (22), but it's easy to see his shooting and playmaking scaling down into a useful pro role right away -- provided he holds up on defense. -- Woo

Post-Draft Analysis

ESPN's Shams Charania reports this pick is on the move and Stirtz has been traded to Oklahoma City in a swap that sent two second-round picks to Memphis for the opportunity to move up one spot. It appears the Thunder will roster both of their first-round picks and solve their roster crunch another way. Stirtz was likely to come off the board in this range and turned out to be a target for the Thunder, who were presumably worried about Memphis picking him and willing to pay to ensure they got him. He is a rotation-ready playmaker who gives OKC additional shooting and playmaking off the bench. -- Woo

Joshua Jefferson was one of the brightest stars on a highly touted Iowa State Cyclone team this past season. He ended up being selected last night in the latter stages of round one, and lands with the Brooklyn Nets at pick #28.

Jefferson began his career at St. Mary's before joining Coach TJ Otzelberger at Iowa State:

The verdict: Coming off his best year at Iowa State, Jefferson offers plug-and-play appeal as an unselfish, connective role player who makes life easier for teammates. His upside isn't immense, but he has enough size and skill to help upgrade a team's bench, particularly if he can make progress with his shot. -- Woo

Post-Draft Analysis

This pick was traded from Minnesota to Brooklyn earlier this week as part of the Julius Randle trade, with the Nets moving up five spots. Jefferson fits the Nets' preferences for size, skill and playmaking ability and might be able to shore up their bench as a rookie. He has an interesting role player profile as an older prospect who can help to fill lineup holes. -- Woo

Round Two of the NBA Draft is tonight, with coverage beginning at 7:00 CT on ESPN.

Source: NBA Draft 2026 Picks by Round - ESPN