2027 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0

I’m planning to make 2027 my most detailed draft coverage ever since starting this newsletter four years ago. For me the strength of a class is not weighed with how strong the top is. That’s lazy. If a draft class holds a high number of long-term NBA players, that’s a strong class to me. In today’s NIL era we see no more urge of leaving for the NBA early. That’s the best part about the draft now. The incoming freshmen will go one-and-done if the opportunity is too good. The rest will just patiently collect their NIL check, chase their degree and improve their craft.

The returning class doesn’t get enough credit. There’s serious value there. On top of that, there are at least five players I’d consider for the number one overall pick. People can’t rely on consensus anymore because there really should not be consensus in a class like this. It’s wide-open. That’s the most fun about the 2027 NBA Draft. After spending the last month with my in-depth film study on top of following the FIBA tournaments up close, here’s my first Big Board with detailed analysis explaining my decision-making.

Everyone who follows my work know I value the physical readiness of prospects, outlier translatable skill and long-term potential. The numbers matter less, unless it’s really exceptional. I’m taking the factor of a breakout year into consideration as well. Hard to predict those, but I’m trusting my thought process here.

While I wrote close to 400 articles until this day, the consistent draft coverage and college recruitment is and has always been my promise. Therefore, don’t forget the subscribe for multiple NBA Draft, FIBA tournaments and college basketball-related content!

Anthony Thompson is the best prospect in this class. The mix of physical tools, excellent positional size and explosive athleticism gives him the best long-term potential. Choosing Ohio State has been the best decision for him as well. I expect him to be go All Big-Ten as the Buckeyes’ clear #1 option. He has the most valuable archetype with a feasible and translatable game to the NBA.

Stefan Joksimovic looks like the best European guard in the last few years. He’s playing like a wing mostly, but the FIBA U18 EuroBasket was a good setting for him to show how he’s performing as the team’s leading option. In his case, he’s best to develop into more of a swingman rather than a tall point guard. He’ll continue to get stronger and as of now, the self-creation, change of pace and handles are the clear-cut value-adders.

I’m sold on Stokes as well. His combination of athleticism, power and court vision puts him in a similar mold. However, he’s playing more like a power wing rather than someone who’ll make the difference with his level of skill. The readiness of his body at a young age is a value-riser. But as of now, the tools don’t separate him compared to the earlier-mentioned Thompson who has the edge over him on most areas.

Caleb Holt is another interesting case. He’s more of a combo guard who’ll stand out with his defensive potential on top of the shooting and scoring prowess. The body developed well over the years and his super-tough and physical style of play will be the leading factor of him earning a no-brainer top five status in this draft.

The same goes for Jordan Smith, Jr. The defensive potential is through the roof. The 6’9” wingspan makes up for a lot in his case. But at the end of the day, he’s still a 6’2” wing. Granted: size conversations aren’t that relevant anymore when considering how pure toughness and strength can help the New York Knicks win a ring with two “small guards”. Smith, Jr. will have the Calipari stamp and his game screams potential NBA star.

After five we’re seeing a small opening. That’s where the long-term potential and tantilizing skill and athleticism combinations kick in. Miikka Muurinen has had a bad year at Partizan. That’s simply a fact. However, he has proven his value more than enough at the FIBA World Cup with his native of Finland to give him a pass. Zeljko Obradovic is arguably one of the best coaches in the world, but his style of coaching was something Muurinen clearly wasn’t ready for. However, he’s super-competitive and the American brand of play is destined for him, rather than Europe. Even if he’s not making a difference in Arkansas’ frontcourt this year, I’d still take him top ten because he’s already proven his value in a seting where he faced former and current NBA players fighting for a world title.

Regarding returners, I remain high on Alijah Arenas. A healthy version of him would be a top-ten pick in last year’s draft. The numbers are not reflecting what he can do in the future. I’d say the same thing if they were good and efficient because of the injury-rattled freshman campaign he had. The flashes of brilliance were put in the backroom when seeing the bad shots he took. But it’s seeing past the numbers and focusing on what’s the substance of the flashes of high-end skill. Great athlete. Even better creativity and change of pace. Arenas' decision-making after his advantages will determine everything in his career. Right now he’s trying to score too much out of those. The tools are endless, and I buy the All Star potential.

The same goes for Braylon Mullins. He’s mostly remembered for the three-ball that ended Duke’s dream to make it to the national championship game. At the high school level, Mullins was the best shooter in his class. And it wasn’t even close. At Connecticut, he stepped up to adding more versatility to his game. He’s going to be a top team-defending sharpshooter in the NBA and those come at a high price.

The top ten is concluded with two frontcourt pieces that both serve a different purpose. After attending the NBA Draft Combine, it’s clear that Suigo was still on the raw side. The size, physical tools on top of a rim deterrant and hub on offense fits the need of many teams adding more versatility to their frontcourt. He’ll be a star in the Big East right out of the gates, and production will matter for his draft stock.

Cameron Williams has to buy into a role at Duke, that has many mouths to feed. The movement on his size and bulk is tremendous. The value-adder is the vertical pop, high motor while he can stretch and space the floor. He has decent footwork and can get stops in space too. The role versatility is off the charts and he’s best to develop in Durham, NC. Although I don’t see him turning into a productive star, he has the chance to be one of the more complete defenders in the NBA, hence my valuation of a top-ten pick in his case.

Overall, looking at this class’ depth wings, the versatile wing defenders are available in bunches. The New York Knicks won a title with two elite ones in Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. Everyone will mimic the alpha, and right now the way Leon Rose paid heavy prices to get his defensive stoppers should influence how teams draft. Luckily for the NBA, this class is rich in the aforementioned potentially great wing defenders. For me, Bruce Branch III (BYU) and Adlan Elamin (Cincinnati) both fit the description. Fluid, long athletes with good footwork and with the tools to be great NBA defenders. Elamin has been the main standout at Utah State this past year, where Coach Calhoun stated in the media that “the sky is the limit for him”. His standout performances late in the year led to me writing about his NBA future very early in his career. Branch III is the new kid on the block for the inner-state rivals in Brigham Young. He reminds me a lot of Bridges in how he’s guard-skilled in a wing’s body. He’s getting stronger and the creativity with the ball in his hands could lead to him improving his value this year.

Then there’s the national champion Thomas Haugh. He’s a fairly boring—in a positive way—type of player. He’s good at almost everything and projects to be a day-one standout in the NBA. There’s a role for him now, but him choosing to stay in college and keep competing for a title speaks volumes to how he’s embracing his will to get better and win at the same time. Then there’s the much younger Hugo Yimga-Moukouri, the absolute star for France in the FIBA U18 EuroBasket. He’s already showing he’s one of the best individual players in the tournament. He’s showing that he’s the team’s alpha and the way he’s getting to his 20+ points per game is how NBA teams would use him. However, it’s easier to do against his own age group. Teams are clearly buying the physical tools and developing skillset with him. He has the tools to turn into basically everything, where the big-wing archetype in a forward’s body is the main sell. He reminds me of how the prospect Sekou Doumbouya was viewed. Regardless of how his NBA career ended, a similar path to developing slowly and taking on a specific niche role will shape the young Frenchman’s career. I’m factoring in the immediate NBA path, but in today’s NIL space there’s always a possibility he’ll end up playing college basketball after this season.

Everyone who follows my work knows how much I value offensive creativity, handles, and a good feel for the game. That’s Jason Crowe, Jr. in a nutshell. He has the chance to be the best SEC freshman at Missouri. His career is shaped by his father, Jason Crowe, Sr. who has had a decade-plus career playing in Europe while he’s clearly the reason how his son got such a good feel for the game and starring in the California-styled guard’s game with his tight handles, crisp footwork and creativity. Crowe, Jr. is more than a bucket-getter—he can lead a team in the NBA and that’s the reason why I see lottery-level value in his profile.

Regarding Quentin Coleman, he’s been one of the best shooters at the EYBL level and added to his game by showing complete guard skills. Tremendous shooting mechanics, and after Wagler ended up as a top-five pick, Illinois managed to seemlessly fill in the void he left with another incoming freshman in Coleman. Their Big Ten rivals in Ohio State however will be on the NBA scene heavy this year as well. I’ve been a huge fan of Amare Bynum’s game and the flashes of playing a complete forward’s game in the NBA gives him top 20 value. His motor, physicality and toughness helped him at a younger age to where he’s been upping his level of skill, creativity and scoring prowess in college. He’s a potentially complete forward that can play both as a four and a five. Michigan has shown that Morez Johnson, Jr. was the engine of their success, and I believe in Bynum flourishing in a similar setting in this year’s Buckeyes squad that’ll be led by the aforementioned Anthony Thompson.

Rounding out the top 20, Matas Vokutaitis has shown that he’s potentially the best center in college during his late-season surge at Texas. That’s where he convinced me that his skill, floor-spacing, rebounding and toughness will translate to a NBA role, putting him high in the first round. On top of that, Juke Harris’ shooting and defensive versatility made him one of the best-paid NIL athletes in college, where he’ll hunt for NCAA Tournament success in Tennessee while his NBA value is clearly still on the high side.

Trey McKenney, Jr. was a high-end prospect last year, but he completely accepted his role at Michigan and went on to gradually improving throughout the year—this year he’ll be a much more vital part of the Wolverines’ quest of defending their national title under their new head coach, Mr. Mike Boynton. The Brooklyn-born was one of the best assistants in the country, and has changed the way of how they both win at a high level and develop prospects into long-term pros. McKenney, Jr. is the perfect example of how coming in as a highly-touted guy and still buy into a role and get better gradually will help prospects develop into more feasible long-term NBA pros. We’ve seen Roddy Gayle, Jr. being a star role player for the Wolverines, and I project McKenney, Jr. to bring that type of skillset along with all the extras he has to offer.

There’s no need to continue to scroll back to the beginning of the article. Here’s a reminder of what the Big Board looks like. Enjoy the second half of the article!

Looking at today’s NIL space that ignites more and more returners, the number of one-and-done prospects will naturally decrease. Therefore, I expect we’ll see a lot more non-freshmen later in the first round. For this year’s cycle, I’m betting on the jumbo initiators to find a good footing. Amari Allen (Alabama) tested the draft waters but returned to the Crimson Tide. I love his feel for the game. He can shift his game from a wing to more of a complete ball handler with guard duties. The toughness is real and the college setting was a good one for him to flourish in the SEC last year. I expect a breakout campaign.

That also goes for Neoklis Avdalas, who I wrote about far before he was considered a NBA prospect. The Greek native is a great athlete and plays a natural guard’s game at 6-foot-8. At Virginia Tech the struggles were there because of a heavy lack of floor-spacing while they ran a very traditional slow halfcourt-heavy type of game. He’ll be surrounded with more floor-spacing in Chapel Hill, while Avdalas can lead the team, dictate the game’s pace and set his teammates up to where Virginia Tech mostly deferred to him when they needed a bucket. Avdalas can play in the NBA, but the bad freshman year will lead to him having to make up for it as a sophomore.

We’ll also see a must-improve year for Tounde Yessoufou as a shooter. The physical, big wing goes to New York City to be one of the pillars on St. John’s. The bucket-getting is no issue and never been an issue. His shooting mechanics and form need work, and the floor-spacing will keep his NBA stock alive. I’m a firm believer because of how physically ready he is combined with the production at hand that he’ll thrive in the Big East and earn himself a late first-round selection. I expect his teammate Rúben Prey to have a standout performance as well. He’s been a high-impact guy in the minutes Coach Pitino gave him. I wrote about his NBA future many years ago, and he’s been slowly moving in the right direction. The role versatility, feel for the game and improved offensive scoring prowess makes him the breakout candidate in the Big East for me. He has big shoes to fill in the Johnnies’ frontcourt, but Prey’s more than ready for that task.

Hereafter, we’ll see more of the complementary pieces. Patrick Ngongba, Jr. has always shown a good feel for the game, good instincts for rotations while improving his body and filling his frame. The injuries last season made it a good decision to return to Durham where he’ll be one of the vital role players in the frontcourt. We’ll see a similar pattern for Billy Richmond III in Arkansas. Coach Calipari has another group of star-studded freshmen, and the role versatility and defensive standout performances from Richmond III will be essential to keep this team together and push for a deep NCAA Tournament run. The jumper is work in progress, and that’s the main swing skill because everything else already screams “long-term NBA pro”.

When it comes to the win-now type of players, the readiness of Milan Momcilovic (Kentucky) as one of the world’s best shooters and the athleticism, defensive instincts and floor-spacing of Motiejus Krivas (Arizona), it’s very feasible they’ll end up as first-round picks. Their big NIL deals will make it more acceptable to accept a lower rookie-scaled contract to develop and fight for their second contract while offering the NBA franchise a relatively low hit on their payroll. As production matters more with upperclassmen, I expect both to provide All-American caliber campaigns.

To finish the first round, I’ll seperately mention two of my favorite prospects in this class. Shelton Henderson (Miami) is one of the best wings in college already. He’s improving to one of the more complete wing defenders under the wings of Jai Lucas—the defensive mastermind at Duke before taking the head-coaching job at their ACC rivals. Henderson is in a position where he can continue to stay in college and collect a bigger NIL check while continuing to get better. Henderson has huge hands, and is physically already more than ready for the league.

On the other hand, the Michigan star freshman in Brandon McCoy, Jr. is another potential high-end defender who’s physical tools will have NBA scouts in awe. The born bucket-getter is more of a versatile defender with his downhill drives and top-notch rebounding for his position being the main traits. The leadership and physicality of Roddy Gayle, Jr. was the silent engine on Michigan’s backcourt. That’s the role for McCoy, Jr. to slide into early in his career. There’s no must to go one-and-done, but he already has a much-wanted game that can continue to develop in the NBA. He almost feels like a lock for the first round—if he keeps his name in.

Purely to clarify: the NBA Draft will very likely have mostly seniors in the second round. That’s because of there being no need for prospects with eligibility to go for their chance as a second-round pick. But because this is a Big Board and not a Mock Draft, I’m purely ranking the prospects based on their NBA potential on top of the readiness of the game. That’s why you’re seeing many non-seniors on this list. Another reason is that the seniors who get drafted mostly determine the value of their stock with how they are performing during the season. So we need new sample size for that. With the recent news that gives the HS class of 2022 an extra year of eligibility adds a new layer of enthusiasm. There’s a large group who are draft ineligible, which makes it a stronger sample size for the draft eligible standout seniors. That’s vital context to keep in mind when evaluating seniors this cycle.

Overall, the reasoning will be explained below, while, naturally, every draft class have good opportunities after the lottery. I’m impressed with the depth in the class of returners, and this feeling got only better when working on this assessment. Don’t buy the “it’s a weak class” chatter about the 2027 NBA Draft. It’s not heavy at the top, that’s fair. But there’s a high number of potential long-term NBA pros in this class. And that’s what makes it a stronger class for me than it will ever get credit for.

NC State’s Paul McNeil, Jr. has been on draft radars for year. Insanely good shooter who’s turning the corner on his offensive game while continuing to get stronger. He’s in for a big junior campaign. Klark Riethauser (Elan Chalon) will be a household name as one of the better NBA prospects still on European soil. He has a strong frame with great physical tools. The offense is work in progress, as he’s more of a development piece as of now. I’m ranking him because the NBA future is imminent, but realistically, he’s better off staying in Europe now before moving to college as one of the big European names for the 2027 recruitment class.

The same goes for Cameron Houindo (KK Cedevita). The French forward has insane physical tools and plays for the same team that had Joan Beringer—the 17th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft—on their roster. The Slovenian side is one of the powerhouses of European youth development and the example for many others to follow. Regarding Houindo, paying subscribers already had a full breakdown in their inbox in January 2025. He’ll get drafted to develop in the NBA. As of now, he’s in a position where growing within a NBA team’s building makes more sense compared to going to college. Mostly because Cedevita already gives him the developmental minutes he needs while he can flourish at the Adidas Next Generation tournaments.

The trend in this year’s draft is that many early second-rounders signed guaranteed contracts for multiple years, with some even getting more money than late first-rounders. That’s the sentiment for this class as well. Massamba Diop (Gonzaga), John Blackwell (Duke), Rueben Chinyelu (Wisconsin), Mason Falslev (Cincinnati), David Mirkovic (Illinois), Alex Condon (Florida) and JT Toppin (Texas Tech) fit the bill. They are all All-American caliber players who’ll very likely be the leaders on their squads while focusing on a deep NCAA Tournament run.

However, I’m putting more younger standouts until the 50s, mostly because they are clear NBA pieces but with some work in progress. The frontcourt pieces are the eye-catchers. In terms of skill, Arrinten Page is one of the best players in this class. He’ll have a role at Providence to flourish as he’ll be used as a creator and a hub, something that he’ll likely have to do in the NBA. At the mid-major level, Dayton’s Amaël L’Etang is another skill-heavy piece who’s still scratching the surface of his potential. His commitment to the Flyers shows a good sign. I think he’ll end up returning to school again, but in terms of his NBA potential he belongs on this list.

On a personal note: TCU is my favorite Big 12 program. They landed the top JUCO recruit in back-to-back years, and I genuinely believe they’re both NBA prospects. Xavier Edmonds was one of the best newcomers in high-major basketball, and people make sure to check out Trent Lincoln! He’s been one of the more gifted guards I’ve seen at the JUCO level. The pace, handles and creativity makes him a legitimate target for NBA teams. If he can adjust to the difference of level and style of play early, you’ll hear his name in NBA draft conversations sooner rather than later. Remember the name.

Focusing on the underclassmen in the second round, it’s a wide variance of things I like. The common denominator is the physicality and toughness. Roman Siulepa (Ole Miss) is the toughest player in college as a former rugby player. He’s a tank while moving very fluidly for his body type. I expect him to take a leap in the SEC this year. On top of that, Malachi Moreno (Kentucky) and Daniel Jacobsen (Purdue) will have their presences felt. They’re both in a position where they can play many minutes but overall it feels like they’re better off to stay in college for at least one more season. In terms of talent, skillset and physical tools the NBA will be there for him. That’s why they are ranked but with the idea of them being more prospects for the 2028 class.

Kameron Taylor (Florida State), Finley Bizjack (West Virginia) and Jordan Scott (Michigan State) are must-watches for next year. There’s a clear NBA role for them if everything clicks. Especially Taylor’s complete offensive package stands out, to where Bizjack’s shooting prowess and Texas toughness had him on my NBA radar right after his freshman season. However, the feasible role player type of game is Jordan Scott’s. He’s growing as a team defender on Izzo’s team while this year he has the opportunity to take a leap in terms of production.

Cheickh Niang (Trento, 2008) was the main man for Italy in their Finals run at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket. I’m very high on him for the NBA, but as of now, he still has many areas of the game that he needs to improve at to play in the NBA. His game is somewhat similar to VJ Edgecombe’s, as they both use their tantalizing athleticism to create advantage. However, the handles are too weak at this point, and the athleticism difference against his European peers is the main area where he’s making use of. The rawness in his profile will gradually improve, and I see him more as a prospect for the 2028 NBA Draft. However, I list him for this year, because it’s clear as day he’ll generate buzz.

Last but not least: forwards! Magoon Gwath has had injury issues at San Diego State. But before that, he has been one of the best young centers in college. I had a first-round grade on him two years ago, and I’m keeping him on my board. He chose DePaul to be their main piece in the frontcourt, and I genuinely believe he’ll be a potential All-Big East player this upcoming year. The same goes for Josiah Moseley who has been a standout for Belize at the FIBA AmeriCup events. If he’ll get the minutes, we’ll see him be a leading factor for Texas Tech. Bryson Tiller has been a vital piece for Kansas this past season as well, and playing alongside a dynamic creator like Stokes will help him to utilize and develop his jumper off the pick-and-pop. Good screener. Physical. If the three-ball improves there’s a clear future for him in the league.

There’s no need to continue to scroll back to the beginning of the article. Here’s a reminder of what the Big Board looks like. Enjoy the second half of the article!

Ersin’s NBA Draft Newsletter mainly focuses on the less-coveted prospects. On top of that, I’m scouting prospects years in advance, targeting Europe, the FIBA youth tournaments and the JUCO level. It’s not responding to the available guys in a class, but tracking them in advance. That’s why I already have 25 in-depth scouting reports already on the guys I ranked!

After surpassing 1,600 subscribers, more and more draft enthusiasts, NBA front office personnel, scouts, and agents joined the movement.

Here’s why you must subscribe, plans available at $6 month/$60 year:

1. Consistency: I write multiple reports per week.

2. No agendas. I call it the way I see it, ignoring consensus.

3. Focusing on the less-coveted guys instead of repeating what’s already been said on the household names.

4. Advanced NCAA Division I scouting. Especially if you love college basketball. I’m targeting the next-in-line prospects at the international and JUCO ranks, dedicating a section specifically for these activities.

Here are all the in-depth articles that I’ve already written so far for the 2027 NBA Draft.