With the 2026 NBA Draft and Summer League already in the books, the attention shifts quickly to the next wave. The 2026-27 college basketball season is getting underway in practice, and a handful of NCAA teams are lining up as especially important stops for anyone tracking the 2027 NBA Draft.
Arkansas is one of the first places to start. John Calipari’s group already saw three Razorbacks picked in the 2026 NBA Draft, including two freshmen, but the roster still looks loaded.
Billy Richmond III is back for his junior year after posting 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 56.3% from the field and 25.9% from 3-point range in 2025-26. He’ll be joined by a freshman class that brings serious draft buzz: JJ Andrews, Jordan Smith Jr., Abdou Toure and Miikka Muurinen.
Smith enters as the most decorated of that group, ranked the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2026 class by 247Sports.
Duke is in a similar spot after sending three players into the 2026 NBA Draft. Cameron Boozer, the No. 3 pick, was the lone freshman to leave, while his twin brother Cayden Boozer is set to return and could be ready for a breakout season.
Jon Scheyer also gets back Patrick Ngongba II, who averaged 10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 60.6% from the field, along with Italian wing Dame Sarr, who put up 6.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game as a freshman. The Blue Devils also added veteran guard John Blackwell, who transferred from Wisconsin after averaging 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 43% from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range on more than 7 attempts per game as a junior.
Freshmen Bryson Howard and Cameron Williams could also end up in the 2027 draft conversation, with Williams ranked No. 4 overall and No. 1 among power forwards in the 2026 class by 247Sports.
Michigan enters the season with a different kind of intrigue after winning the national championship in 2026 and then having three former Wolverines selected in the first 12 picks of the 2026 NBA Draft. Dusty May is gone, now leading the Dallas Mavericks, but the roster still has plenty to monitor.
Elliot Cadeau is back for his senior season after winning Most Outstanding Player honors in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and Trey McKenney returns for his sophomore year after a freshman season that included 9.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 39.1% from 3-point range on 4.4 attempts per game. Michigan also added JP Estrella and Moustapha Thiam through the transfer portal, and freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. may be the biggest name to watch.
The Sierra Canyon product was rated the No. 11 prospect and No. 2 shooting guard in the 2026 class by 247Sports.
There are other teams with draft-worthy talent worth keeping on the radar too. Arizona’s group includes Caleb Holt, Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov.
Connecticut brings in Braylon Mullins, Colben Landrew and Nikolas Khamenia. Florida features Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon.
Illinois rounds out the list with Quentin Coleman, David Mirkovic, Stefan Vaaks and Andrej Stojakovic.
In Other News...
Moses Moody Just Raised The Stakes For Caliparis Arkansas Roster
Moses Moodys voice still carries some weight around Fayetteville, and the former Arkansas guard and current Golden State Warrior just added another layer to the buzz around John Caliparis program. Moody sounded encouraged about where the Razorbacks are headed, pointing to a roster that already looks deep enough to give Calipari plenty of options when the games tighten up and the minutes start to matter.
For Arkansas, that kind of endorsement matters because it comes with expectations attached, not just nostalgia. Moody sees a team with the kind of lineup that can keep pushing into March, and the roster construction for 2026-27 already suggests there will be real competition for playing time. The only question now is how far that depth can carry the Razorbacks once the stakes get higher. [Read more 🡒]
Razorback Stadium Is Getting A Change Fans Have Wanted For Years
Razorback Stadium is set for a noticeable facelift ahead of the 2026 football season, with Arkansas installing Muscos Show-Light Pro entertainment system with SportsCluster Lighting, plus a new audio system. The upgrade will bring more than 250 new LED lights into the building, a move that puts the Razorbacks in line with the modern game-day presentation most major programs have already embraced.
For Arkansas fans, the timing matters as much as the technology. Athletic director Hunter Yurachek said the goal is to improve the atmosphere and make the stadium a tougher place for visiting teams, and the school is among the last in its conference to make the LED and multi-color lighting jump. The next step is seeing how the new setup changes the feel of fall Saturdays once the lights come on. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Just Pulled Penn State Into The SEC Big Ten Fight
Nick Saban has a way of turning a familiar conference argument into a bigger measuring stick, and his latest take lands right in the middle of the SEC-Big Ten debate. The seven-time national champion, now an ESPN analyst, said the real test of league strength is depth from top to bottom, not simply which conference produces the last team standing, and he pointed to the SECs run of placing five teams in the playoff last year as proof that the leagues middle class matters as much as its headliners.
For Arkansas fans, the point is easy to recognize in a season where the Razorbacks have been far more competitive than some of the Big Tens lower-tier teams. The comparison gets even sharper when looking around the SEC, where teams like South Carolina, Auburn and Florida have still managed to make life difficult for top opponents, reinforcing Sabans larger argument that conference quality shows up in the grind, not just the trophy case. [Read more 🡒]