Now that the 2026 NBA Draft is behind us and superprospects like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer have found their professional homes, it’s time to start looking ahead to the next crop of prospects that could find themselves at the top of the draft board in 2027.
While it was apparent from the jump that the 2026 class would be transcendent, that same prowess isn’t instantly recognizable in the 2027 class. Top high school recruit Tyran Stokes is the early favorite to be the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft, but that’s nowhere near a certainty. There’s also an intriguing crop of returning sophomores, most notably UCONN’s Braylon Mullins, who would have likely been a lottery pick had he entered the draft this year.
Without further ado, here are some names who could be among the first that Adam Silver calls next June.
Tyran Stokes, Kansas
Tyran Stokes was the consensus top recruit in the 2026 high school recruiting class, surprising some folks with his decision to go play for Bill Self at Kansas. That’s mostly because Stokes' brash confidence and outsized personality don’t exactly match with the ethos of a Self-run program, but that also probably doesn’t matter as much when you have the ceiling Stokes has.
At 6’7, 230 pounds, Stokes has good size for a wing while still possessing guard-like shot creation and passing skills. He’s an explosive athlete who can turn up the gym with highlight reel dunks and is capable of guarding all five positions when he puts the effort in on defense. He’d be even more of an undeniable offensive talent if he could make 3-pointers more consistently, but what’s truly standing between him and being selected No. 1 overall are questions about his motor and frankly, his character.
Jordan Smith Jr., Arkansas
Jordan Smith Jr. enters what will almost certainly be his lone season at Arkansas as the No. 2 ranked incoming prospect, though several reputable early mock drafts have him slotted as the No. 1 overall pick over Stokes. Smith Jr. would be a truly generational prospect if he was a few inches taller, but even at 6’2 he’s still a sturdy, smart player who can play off two feet and drive and finish with relative ease. He shoots the ball well, is a purposeful defender, and his strength and athleticism allows him to snag rebounds consistently.
Like so many elite guard prospects before him, Smith Jr. also gets the added benefit of going to play for guru John Calipari, who has a resume of producing elite NBA talent (and guards specifically) at a rate unlike any other coach in recent history. Smith Jr. also comes from one of the nation’s elite prep programs in D.C’s Paul VI, so he’s already going to Calipari’s NBA boot camp with a winning pedigree.
Stefan Joksimovic, Slovenia
The next Slovenian NBA superstar after Luka Doncic appears to be entering the league in 2027, as versatile wing prospect Stefan Joksimovic is among the top candidates to be selected with next year’s No. 1 overall pick. Currently playing for Saski Baskonia of Spain’s Liga ACB, Jokisimovic has displayed elite shooting and playmaking ability and his skillset has even been compared to his countryman Doncic.
In addition to his shooting, Joksimovic is a polished scorer in general and has enough explosiveness to drive to the basket and finish with force at the rim. He’s not quite as athletic as Stokes or Smith Jr., but he is a more advanced player thanks to his professional stint overseas and has a much better chance at contributing to winning basketball right away.
Braylon Mullins, UCONN
As mentioned in the introduction, Mullins already presented an intriguing case to be taken as a lottery selection in this year’s NBA Draft. He instead chose to return to Dan Hurley’s dynastic UCONN program, where he’ll be the centerpiece of a team he helped led to the national title game last season.
Most fans know Mullins as the guy who sent Duke packing in the Elite 8 with the shot of a lifetime, and that wasn’t just a stroke of luck. He’s the most notable sharpshooter in all of the collegiate ranks, and his size and basketball IQ make him the kind of player that any NBA GM would be elated to select.
Caleb Holt, Arizona
Caleb Holt is joining an Arizona program that’s coming off its best season in a quarter century, but it will be remembered as much for the embarrassing way it ended in the Final Four against Michigan as it will be for the run of dominance those Wildcats went on. Fortunately, Holt is the type of player you could envision taking them right back to that stage and even beyond.
Holt has elite athleticism and probably possesses the highest athletic ceiling in the class at that, but he also excels in the mid-range and is a proficient passer. His upside defensively will help GMs fall in love with him, as his size, speed physicality make him a potential foil for elite guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson, who can only be successfully corralled with a combination of those three defensive traits.
