MBB's Jefferson Drafted by Spurs
6/27/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
June 27, 2014
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Cory Jefferson was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 60th and final pick in the 2014 NBA Draft Thursday night at the Barclays Center. Numerous reports suggest his draft rights will be traded to the Brooklyn Nets, though the trade hasn't officially been completed.
Jefferson's selection gives Baylor five NBA draft picks in the last three years, trailing only Kansas' six picks among Big 12 Conference teams during that period. He joins Carlos Briggs, who was drafted in 1986, as the only BU players selected by San Antonio. Jefferson is Baylor's 19th all-time NBA draftee, and he's the sixth of the Scott Drew era - all in the last five years.
Jefferson finished his five-year Baylor career with the best winning percentage in program history at .731. He played in 130 games, and after starting just once in his first two seasons of action, Jefferson started all 75 games over his final two seasons. The Killeen, Texas, native played in three NCAA Sweet 16s and led the team to the 2013 NIT championship, compiling a 13-3 record over four years of postseason play.
Jefferson graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in May 2014. A two-time All-Big 12 honoree, he finished fourth in program history with 166 career blocks, tied for fourth with 25 career double-doubles, ranked ninth with 722 career rebounds, 10th with a .543 career field goal percentage and 19th with 1,159 career points scored.
The 2014 USBWA District VII Player of the Year earned all-tournament recognition three times - at the 2012 Charleston Classic, the 2013 NIT and the 2013 EA Sports Maui Invitational. He was a three-time Big 12 Conference Player of the Week and finished as the runner-up at the 2014 College Slam Dunk Contest. He also played for Team USA at the 2013 World University Games.
He was one of five Big 12 Conference players selected in the draft, joining Kansas' Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid and Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart and Markel Brown. The Big 12 has now had 96 all-time draft picks, including 49 selections in the last seven years, and conference teams have produced 22 top-10 selections in the league's 18-year history.
Jefferson's teammate Isaiah Austin was honored by the NBA between the 15th and 16th picks in the first round. A potential first-round pick, Austin's career came to an abrupt end last weekend when he was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. NBA commissioner Adam Silver invited Austin to the draft and announced that the NBA was selecting him, prompting a standing ovation from the Barclays Center crowd. Austin participated in media interviews with all other draftees in attendance.
Also during the draft, former Bear Pierre Jackson's rights were traded to the Philadelphia 76ers from the New Orleans Pelicans. Jackson was drafted by Philadelphia in 2013, but his rights were traded to the Pelicans, who didn't sign him to a contract during the 2013-14 season.
| BAYLOR NBA DRAFT HISTORY | ||||
| YEAR | NAME, POS. | RD | PICK | TEAM |
| 1949 | James Owens, G/F | 2 | 21 | Washington |
| 1950 | Don Heathington, F/C | 9 | - | New York |
| 1957 | Jerry Mallett, G | 4 | 31 | Syracuse |
| 1965 | Spencer Carlson, F | 10 | 79 | St. Louis |
| 1967 | Darrell Hardy, C | 3 | 21 | Detroit |
| 1971 | William Chatmon, F | 15 | 218 | Buffalo |
| 1979 | Vinnie Johnson, G | 1 | 7 | Seattle |
| 1982 | Terry Teagle, G | 1 | 16 | Houston |
| 1986 | Carlos Briggs, G | 4 | 79 | San Antonio |
| 1988 | Micheal Williams, G | 2 | 48 | Detroit |
| Darryl Middleton, C | 3 | 68 | Atlanta | |
| 1993 | Alex Holmcome, C | 2 | 44 | Sacramento |
| 1998 | Brian Skinner, F/C | 1 | 22 | L.A. Clippers |
| 2010 | Ekpe Udoh, F/C | 1 | 6 | Golden State |
| 2012 | Perry Jones III, F | 1 | 28 | Oklahoma City |
| Quincy Acy, F | 2 | 37 | Toronto | |
| Quincy Miller, F | 2 | 38 | Denver | |
| 2013 | Pierre Jackson, G | 2 | 42 | Philadelphia |
| 2014 | Cory Jefferson, F | 2 | 60 | San Antonio |
