The 2027 NBA Draft class has already started taking damage before the season even gets rolling.
It’s a group that wasn’t carrying the same buzz as 2026 to begin with, and now a few early injuries are threatening to thin it out even more. That matters because this upcoming crop was already expected to be less loaded than the most recent draft.
There’s recent precedent for this kind of path. Last year, Braylon Mullins and Alijah Arenas both battled injuries early in the season and ultimately decided to go back to college basketball instead of entering the 2026 NBA Draft.
This year’s 2027 group could wind up with a similar storyline for a few players.
Michigan took one of the biggest hits when the Wolverines announced that incoming five-star freshman Brandon McCoy will miss the 2026-27 season after suffering an ACL injury. The setback comes at a tough time for Michigan, which was counting on McCoy to help replenish a roster that lost multiple players and its head coach to the NBA.
McCoy was expected to be a major part of Mike Boynton’s team, and before the injury he had real lottery-level buzz for 2027. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound guard was ranked No. 11 overall and No. 2 among shooting guards in the 2026 recruiting class by 247Sports.
Illinois also has a notable injury situation of its own. In early August, the school said Mirkovic underwent foot surgery after getting hurt during a team workout. No timetable was given for his return.
Mirkovic’s freshman season gave a clear picture of why his stock was rising. He averaged 13.3 points, eight rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 48.4% from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range on more than four attempts per game. The Montenegro-born forward started 36 games for an Illinois team that reached the Final Four in 2026, and he earned Big Ten All-Freshman and NCAA All-Region honors along the way.
At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, Mirkovic has the kind of frame and production that could keep him on first-round radar in 2027 if he turns in a strong sophomore season.
Iowa State’s injury news came later in August, when the program announced that second-year guard Killyan Toure had right shoulder surgery and is expected back in January.
Toure, listed at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, made his name as a freshman with defense. He forced turnovers, worked through screens and stayed attached to ball-handlers. Offensively, he averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46% from the field and 31.3% from 3-point range.
If Toure returns healthy and picks up where he left off, he still has a path to the 2027 NBA Draft.
In Other News...
Illinois Fans Are Already Split Over This New Stadium Upgrade
Illinois opened the season with a noticeable new addition at Gies Memorial Stadium, unveiling a south end-zone videoboard that instantly became one of the biggest talking points around the program. The board is now the largest in college football, stretching about 69 feet high and 250 feet wide, and it anchors a broader technology overhaul that also brought in additional LED displays, better lighting, upgraded audio, stronger Wi-Fi and improved production equipment.
The project cost $20.94 million, and the reaction around the stadium reflected the split you might expect when a splashy amenity arrives before the on-field results do. Plenty of fans loved the scale of it and the way it delivers information, but others were quick to wonder whether that kind of money should have gone toward the football team instead. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Found Hope At Quarterback But One Concern Still Lingers
Illinois had enough on offense to put away UAB in a 42-23 win, and the most encouraging sign came from Katin Houser settling in at quarterback. He looked comfortable steering the attack and avoided the kind of shaky throws that can stall a new starter before he ever gets rolling. Collin Dixon also gave the passing game a clear focal point, turning into Housers most reliable target as the Illini found a rhythm through the air.
The bigger picture, though, is that the defense still left a door open even in a comfortable victory. Illinois 3-3-5 front showed it can generate pressure, but UAB found room in the middle of the field and kept the game from feeling fully controlled. For a team trying to build momentum around a promising quarterback performance, that kind of vulnerability is the detail that lingers after the final score fades. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Depth Chart Still Leaves One Big Week 1 Question
Illinois weekly depth chart updates are already starting to matter, and the early-season picture is fairly stable as Bret Bielema begins sorting through the 2026 roster. Illinois on SI is tracking the lineup throughout the season, adjusting for injuries and the announced position moves that tend to shape how the Illini look from one game to the next.
At the Sept. 3 press conference, Bielema said wide receiver Jayshon Platt and linebacker Daniel Brown are the only regulars expected to miss the UAB game, with both still projected back later in the season. Even with most of the two-deep intact, that leaves one obvious Week 1 question hanging over Illinois as it tries to settle into its first real game-week rhythm. [Read more 🡒]