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Nets’ Rookie Jefferson Impresses in G League Debut
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- Nets’ Rookie Jefferson Impresses in G League Debut
(Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
Joshua Jefferson kickstarted his rookie career with the Long Island Nets in the G League, scoring 15 points against the Greensboro Swarm on Friday.
Jefferson shot 5-for-9 from the field (3-for-7 from three), grabbed six rebounds and dished three assists in Long Island's 121-111 loss. It's a promising start for the Brooklyn Nets ' first-round pick.
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Shooting 42.8% from downtown is encouraging for the 6-foot-8 forward and Brooklyn. He shot 34.5% from three in his senior season for the Iowa State Cyclones, just below league average.
The 22-year-old will get the playing time and experience needed to develop in the G League over collecting dust at the end of Brooklyn's bench. Lower back soreness sidelined him in the preseason, and he didn't score in his NBA debut against the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 25.
Brooklyn's forward rotation is crowded . Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. round out the starters; Josh Minott, Noah Clowney, Danny Wolf and Chaney Johnson are battling for backup minutes.
Minott, Clowney, Wolf and Johnson possess more experience and are more polished than Jefferson. He has a steep uphill climb, and spending time with Long Island is the perfect environment for him.
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Jefferson's versatility is his strong suit. The former Cyclone posted two triple-doubles last season against the West Virginia Mountaineers and the UCF Knights .
He can push the break off a rebound, make simple, effective reads to wide-open teammates and is active in the passing lanes. Iowa State's do-it-all forward averaged 1.9 steals in two seasons after transferring from the Saint Mary's Gaels.
The Nets' rookie said his defense separated him from his peers. His size, near-6-foot-11 wingspan and anticipation turn defense into easy offense, and he takes pride in that.
General manager Sean Marks eyed Jefferson, whom draft analysts projected to go in the second round. Marks used the 28th pick he received from the blockbuster four-team Randle trade to draft the Iowa State star .
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Brooklyn already has a plethora of young talent. The Flatbush Five from last season are in their second year, and Mikel Brown Jr. headlines this year's class with the No. 6 pick.
It will likely be a while before Jefferson cracks coach Jordi Fernández's rotation. His time in Long Island is perfect for the organization to let him develop with no immediate expectations and call him up during back-to-backs or if the injury bug hits the team.
Jefferson's 15-point debut is the start of a long journey to becoming another young contributor on a growing Nets squad.
