Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley was selected in the second round of the NBA draft, taken as the No. 50 pick overall, by the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
Bradley emerged this season from not being listed as one of the top point guards nationally entering the year to becoming one of the elite at his position in the nation. Dropping to the 50th pick, behind some point guards taken before him in the second round, should fuel his fire entering his NBA career.
He led the Wildcats to the Big 12 regular season title and tournament championship. His buzzer-beating shot to beat Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament semifinals was legendary. He was selected the Big 12 tournament MVP and was named a third-team All-American.
Bradley was then instrumental in Arizona reaching the Final Four for the first time in 25 years.
“As we saw during his entire career at Arizona, Jaden Bradley is a winner first and foremost,” Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd stated in an Arizona press release. “He makes his teammates better and knows how to be a leader as the point guard. He’s not afraid of the big moments and we know he’s ready for this next step in the NBA with the Raptors.”
Arizona's Jaden Bradley and Tobe Awaka are potential second round picks tonight in the NBA draft.
They hope to have NBA careers similar to these former Wildcats who were picked in the second round:
Steve Kerr (1988/No. 59 pick/Suns) played 910 games in 15 seasons
Sean Rooks… pic.twitter.com/dCdfZ8oFUd
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) June 25, 2026
Bradley started all 39 games, proving his efficiency and stamina as a two-way guard, and averaged 13.3 points, 4.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals a game. He shot 46.3% from the field, 39.4% from 3-point range and 80.9% from the free-throw line.
The Raptors needed to address their perimeter defense and Bradley helps in that regard as a relentless on-ball defender.
He is a clutch shooter who can put pressure on opposing defenses by either taking the ball to the basket or pulling up for his effective mid-range jumper.
Bradley is the third player from Arizona drafted by Toronto. Damon Stoudamire was the seventh pick overall of the 1995 draft, taken by the Raptors. Toronto also took center Christian Koloko in the second round, the No. 33 selection, in the 2022 draft.
Bradley’s selection is the third for an Arizona player in the NBA draft. He joins first-round picks Brayden Burries (No. 10 overall to the Milwaukee Bucks) and Koa Peat (No. 30 to the Phoenix Suns after a trade).
Bradley is the eighth NBA draft pick of the Tommy Lloyd era, which started in the 2021-22 season. Lute Olson had 32 picks in 24 years as Arizona’s coach and Sean Miller 13 picks in 12 years and Fred Snowden 13 picks in 11 years.
ARIZONA TOTAL NBA DRAFT PICKS
Information provided by Arizona media relations department
FRED ENKE ERA
Player/Round/Pick/Year/Team
1. Morris Udall 1948 Denver Nuggets (NBL)
2. Lincoln Richmond 1948 Ft. Wayne Pistons
3. Leon Blevins 7/79 1950 Indianapolis Olympians
4. Leo Johnson 5/44 1951 Ft. Wayne Pistons
5. Roger Johnson 1952 Milwaukee Hawks
6. Ernie McCray 17/95 1960 Cincinnati Royals
BRUCE LARSON ERA
Player/Round/Pick/Year/Team
7. Warren Rustand 4/31 1965 San Francisco Warriors
8. Bill Davis 12/160 1968 Phoenix Suns
9. Michael Foster 1970 Indiana Pacers (ABA)
10. Tom Lee 9/147 1971 Philadelphia 76ers
11. Eddie Myers 10/160 1971 Baltimore Bullets & 1971 Miami Floridians (ABA)
12. Bill Warner 11/170 1971 Buffalo Braves & 1971 New York Nets (ABA)
13. Bruce Anderson 7/101 1972 Detroit Pistons
FRED SNOWDEN ERA
Player/Round/Pick/Year/Team
14. Eric Money 2/33 1974 Detroit Pistons & 1974 Denver Nuggets (ABA)
15. Coniel Norman 3/37 1974 Philadelphia 76ers & 1974 Denver Nuggets (ABA)
16. Al Fleming 2/30 1976 Phoenix Suns
17. James Rappis 5/77 1976 Milwaukee Bucks
18. Bob Elliott 2/42 1977 Philadelphia 76ers
19. Herman Harris 2/43 1977 Philadelphia 76ers
20. Jerome Gladney 8/164 1977 San Antonio Spurs
21. Phil Taylor 10/198 1978 Denver Nuggets
22. Larry Demic 1/9 1979 New York Knicks
23. Joe Nehls 7/152 1980 Houston Rockets
24. Ron Davis 4/79 1981 Washington Bullets
25. Robbie Dosty 6/148 1981 Golden State Warriors
26. Frank Smith 8/177 1983 Portland Trailblazers
27. *Leon Wood 1/10 1984 Philadelphia 76ers
LUTE OLSON ERA
Player/Round/Pick/Year/Team
28. Pete Williams 4/89 1985 Denver Nuggets
29. Eddie Smith 7/158 1985 Denver Nuggets
30. Tom Tolbert 2/34 1988 Charlotte Hornets
31. Steve Kerr 2/50 1988 Phoenix Suns
32. Sean Elliott 1/3 1989 San Antonio Spurs
33. Anthony Cook 1/24 1989 Phoenix Suns
34. Jud Buechler 2/38 1990 Seattle SuperSonics
35. Brian Williams 1/10 1991 Orlando Magic
36. Sean Rooks 2/30 1992 Dallas Mavericks
37. Chris Mills 1/22 1993 Cleveland Cavaliers
38. Ed Stokes 2/35 1993 Miami Heat
39. Khalid Reeves 1/12 1994 Miami Heat
40. Damon Stoudamire 1/7 1995 Toronto Raptors
41. Joseph Blair 2/35 1996 Seattle Supersonics
42. Ben Davis 2/43 1996 Phoenix Suns
43. Reggie Geary 2/56 1996 Cleveland Cavaliers
44. Mike Bibby 1/ 2 1998 Vancouver Grizzlies
45. Michael Dickerson 1/14 1998 Houston Rockets
46. Miles Simon 2/42 1998 Orlando Magic
47. Jason Terry 1/10 1999 Atlanta Hawks
48. A.J. Bramlett 2/39 1999 Cleveland Cavaliers
49. Richard Jefferson 1/13 2001 Houston Rockets
50. Gilbert Arenas 2/31 2001 Golden State Warriors
51. Michael Wright 2/39 2001 New York Knicks
52. Loren Woods 2/46 2001 Minnesota Timberwolves
53. *Robertas Javtokas 2/56 2001 San Antonio Spurs
54. Luke Walton 2/32 2003 Los Angeles Lakers
55. Andre Iguodala 1/9 2004 Philadelphia 76ers
56. Channing Frye 1/8 2005 New York Knicks
57. Salim Stoudamire 2/31 2005 Atlanta Hawks
58. Hassan Adams 2/54 2006 New Jersey Nets
59. Marcus Williams 2/33 2007 San Antonio Spurs
KEVIN O’NEILL YEAR
Player/Round/Pick/Year/Team
60. Jerryd Bayless 1/11 2008 Indiana Pacers
RUSS PENNELL YEAR
Player/Round/Pick/Year/Team
61. Jordan Hill 1/8 2009 New York Knicks
62. Chase Budinger 2/44 2009 Detroit Pistons
SEAN MILLER ERA
Player/Round/Pick/Year/Team
63. Derrick Williams 1/2 2011 Minnesota Timberwolves
64. Solomon Hill 1/23 2013 Indiana Pacers
65. Grant Jerrett 2/40 2013 Portland Trail Blazers
66. Aaron Gordon 1/4 2014 Orlando Magic
67. Nick Johnson 2/42 2014 Houston Rockets
68. Stanley Johnson 1/8 2015 Detroit Pistons
69. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson 1/23 2015 Portland Trail Blazers
70. Lauri Markkanen 1/7 2017 Minnesota Timberwolves
71. Kadeem Allen 2/53 2017 Boston Celtics
72. Deandre Ayton 1/1 2018 Phoenix Suns
73. Josh Green 1/18 2020 Dallas Mavericks
74. Zeke Nnaji 1/22 2020 Denver Nuggets
75. Nico Mannion 2/48 2020 Golden State Warriors
TOMMY LLOYD ERA
Player/Round/Pick/Year/Team
76. Bennedict Mathurin 1/6 2022 Indiana Pacers
77. Dalen Terry 1/18 2022 Chicago Bulls
78. Christian Koloko 2/33 2022 Toronto Raptors
79. Pelle Larsson 2/44 2024 Atlanta Hawks
80. Carter Bryant 1/14 2025 San Antonio Spurs
81. Brayden Burries 1/10 2026 Milwaukee Bucks
82. Koa Peat 1/30 2026 Dallas Mavericks
83. Jaden Bradley 2/50 2026 Toronto Raptors
* Played at Arizona as a freshman before transferring
Recommended for you
