Massamba Diop is already forcing his way into the early 2027 NBA Draft conversation, and the latest big board has him sitting in the lottery.
College basketball content creator Ant Wright slotted the Gonzaga center at No. 12 on his way-too-early 2027 NBA Draft Big Board, giving the Bulldogs another clear sign that their 2026-27 roster could be loaded with pro-level talent.
Wright noted that big boards are not mock drafts and that team fit will matter when the real process heats up. Even so, Diop landing that high stands out, especially because most of Gonzaga’s early 2027 draft buzz has centered on players projected in the mid-to-late second round. That range often points toward players returning to school for another year rather than taking a shot at a two-way deal.
Diop, an older sophomore, would be a strong candidate to leave Spokane after one season if he keeps climbing toward lottery status. That kind of rise would require a huge year, but the ceiling is obvious enough to make the projection believable.
The 7-foot-1 center from Senegal was a breakout freshman at Arizona State, putting up 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game for Bobby Hurley in the Big 12. His size, shot-blocking, screening and finishing around the rim fit neatly next to senior Braden Huff in Gonzaga’s big-man-heavy setup. The source material goes even further, calling Diop the program’s best rim protector since Chet Holmgren in 2021-22.
Diop and Huff are expected to anchor the interior for Gonzaga in the new-look Pac-12, with 21-year-old Real Madrid big man Izan Almansa giving the Zags another strong option up front.
And Diop isn’t the only sophomore with NBA attention. Gonzaga’s projected starting group for 2026-27 also includes Davis Fogle, Isiah Harwell and Mario Saint-Supery, and all four have shown up on published mock drafts or big boards in the two weeks since the 2026 draft wrapped up.
If Saint-Supery, Harwell and Fogle all take the kind of step Gonzaga is hoping for - or even if just two of them do - the Bulldogs could be in the mix for a top-two NCAA Tournament seed and enter 2027 as favorites to win the Pac-12.
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