Joshua Jefferson, a first-round rookie for the Brooklyn Nets, finally made his summer league debut on Saturday, July 11, 2026, in an 83-76 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The debut came after a holdup in finalizing his trade to the Nets, which, combined with a prior injury, cost him the first four summer league games. This delay meant Jefferson had not seen live action in four months since his college career at Iowa State was cut short by a left ankle sprain in March.
Jefferson acknowledged the rust in his first game back, stating, "Definitely. [Saturday] was just the first game in four months, since March when I got hurt. So it’s really been a long time since I’ve been in a playing setting because I wasn’t able to get any practice reps either." Despite the layoff, he expressed confidence in his abilities, adding, "I showed some glimpses [of] what I can do with the ball in my hand, so just got to keep playing."
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward finished his debut with nine points in 26 minutes, but struggled with efficiency, shooting 1-for-8 from the field and 0-for-4 from three-point range. His sole made field goal was a driving layup. Nets summer league coach Dutch Gailey noted Jefferson's desire to improve his shooting and emphasized that the team would work with him on the game's pace and his overall understanding of play.
"He’ll have a better understanding of the pace of the game. … The change is a big change, especially when you haven’t played. He’s coming off an injury; he hasn’t played in a while. So, there’s a lot of stuff he did well, and there’s stuff we can help him with," Gailey said. "That’s going to be our goal over these next two days."
Jefferson, who averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.6 steals for Iowa State, was drafted by the Nets with the No. 28 overall pick acquired in the Julius Randle trade. The inability to practice with the team prior to Saturday's game contributed to both his rust and a sense of unfamiliarity with his new teammates.
Despite the shooting struggles, Jefferson demonstrated some of the skills that attracted the Nets. He executed a coast-to-coast drive for his only made basket and showed proficiency from the free-throw line, making 5-of-6 attempts. He also showcased his playmaking ability with a bounce pass assist, hinting at his potential to fit into the Nets' system of ball movement. "Just the way my passing can affect the game, making everybody feel involved, get the ball flying around. It’s easy to guard people when the ball’s sticking in one person’s hands," Jefferson said. "So as long as I can continue to show that with the team, we’ll be fine."