Izaiyah Nelson on Wednesday became the first South Florida player taken in the NBA draft since 2010. He was so eager to get to work that he told his new bosses he’d drive from Tampa and arrive for Thursday morning workouts.
Nelson, the American Conference Player of the Year, won’t have that long of trek. He joined the Orlando Magic in the second round – 51st overall – as part of a three-team trade involving the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks.
Nelson, 22, was the 10th USF player taken in an NBA draft and the first since Dominique Jones in 2010 (Memphis, 25th overall).
The 6-10 forward led the Bulls to the American Conference regular season and tournament titles, as well as the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012. He ranked 16th in NCAA Division I in rebounding (9.6 per game) and logged 18 double-doubles, ranking ninth nationally.
USF's NBA draft picks
With year, round, overall pick, position and NBA team:
2026 – 2/51, Izaiyah Nelson, F, Washington traded to Orlando
2010 – 1/25, Dominique Jones, G, Memphis
2006 – 2/33, Solomon Jones, G, Atlanta
1986 – 6/122, Curtis Kitchen, C, Seattle
1985 – 3/51, Charlie Bradley, F, Sacramento
1984 – 4/76, Jim Grandholm, C, Washington
1982 –3/64, Willie Redden, C, San Antonio
1982 – 4/87, Tony Grier, G, San Antonio
1982 – 6/116, Vince Reynolds, F, Cleveland
1976 – 10/159, Mike Dickerson, G, Atlanta
Source: NBA
"He's outstanding physically," Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said. "He's an outstanding athlete. He tested in the 90th percentile in all the metrics (at the NBA draft combine) in Chicago. He's gotten better every year. And mostly, he's about the grind. He's really all about it."
Nelson was also named the conference’s Newcomer of the Year after spending his first three seasons at Arkansas State.
Although he averaged just 15.3 points over his career, the Magic were impressed with his transition game and ability to run the floor and finish. He led Division I with 89 dunks this past year and was the conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Weltman called him a “monster competitor, monster athlete.”
When Weltman and new Magic coach Sean Sweeney called Nelson to deliver the news, Nelson said he planned on beating them into the training facility on Thursday, according to the team.
"One of the things we thought would be a good fit was Izaiyah's blue-collar, hard-hat mentality playing for Sean Sweeney. I think they'll fit really well together,” Weltman said.
The Magic did not have a selection in the first round after sending it and three other first-round picks to Memphis in a 2025 trade for Desmond Bane.
Orlando began the second round with only the 46th selection (used to take Tennessee forward Felix Okpara). The Magic dealt that pick to the Wizards for picks 51 and 60, then received cash considerations from the Bucks for the 60th selections.
