NEW YORK -- Brooklyn Nets rookie forward Joshua Jefferson has not been able to make his debut with the Nets thus far as he had been dealing with back stiffness throughout the preseason. Brooklyn is still in evaluation mode, especially for the rookies and younger players, but as the Nets open their season on Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets, Jefferson will finally be available to play.
"He just practiced. [It was a] contact practice. He did a great job, [I'm] happy to see him back. He's had a buildup, and today, he played with the rest of the group," Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said of Jefferson after Monday's practice. Jefferson, who also battled back from an ankle injury that he suffered during his 2025-26 season with the Iowa State Cyclones, had been dealing with back stiffness since the beginning of the preseason.
Fernandez's update on Jefferson is seemingly a significant improvement in Jefferson's condition as when the coach spoke to the media on Friday, the rookie was not fully with the group. Jefferson was spotted running sprints after Friday's practice so it sounds like he did whatever he needed to do to be ready for the season opener, just in case Fernandez calls his number.
However, the Nets will not be able to evaluate one of the other rookies in the 2026 class as second-round pick Tyler Bilodeau will not be available due to a sprained right shoulder. Bilodeau, whom Brooklyn signed to a Two-Way deal after they selected the UCLA forward with the No. 43 pick, did not play much during the preseason, but he did average 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 60.0% from the field.
Aside from the news about Bilodeau, it seems that the rest of the roster, including Jefferson, is available for Wednesday's game against a Hornets team that won't be fully-healthy for the matchup. With forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle leading the way for the Nets on Wednesday, the hope is that Jefferson can see the floor at some point given that he's available after being out of action for most of the preseason.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Joshua Jefferson available for season opener vs. the Hornets