Jaden Bradley, the Arizona point guard, was selected 50th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night. Bradley will play only a couple hours from where he grew up in Rochester, New York.
College Career
The 6-foot-3 Bradley capped off a prolific collegiate career with a senior season for the ages. He earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors, averaging 13.3 points, 4.4 assists and 3.4 rebounds. Bradley was a Big 12 All Defensive Team selection and a Third Team All-American.
Bradley led Arizona to Big 12 regular season and conference tournament championships. He was named the Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Bradley played a standout role in Arizona advancing to its first Final Four in 25 years.
NBA Future
Bradley joins a Raptors franchise coming off a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Toronto’s point guards include Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead.
Arizona’s three draft picks are the program’s most since 2022, when Bennedict Mathurin, Dalen Terry and Christian Koloko were selected.
Former Arizona big man Henri Veesaar was drafted 52nd overall by the Atlanta Hawks. Veesaar’s fall will serve as a cautionary tale for college players with remaining eligibility who face the choice of returning to school for a large payday or chasing their professional dreams.
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka went undrafted after averaging 9.3 points and 9.1 rebounds as a senior. The 6-foot-8 Awaka will most likely sign on with a team as an undrafted free agent.
Original reporting: Arizona Desert Swarm (Tucson Sports) — read the source article.
