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...
Iowa State Just Got A New Week 3 Problem To Prepare For
Bowling Greens quarterback picture just changed before the season even gets rolling, and Iowa State has a little more to study for in Week 3. Jay Kastantin, a transfer from Assumption College, has been named the Falcons starter, moving into the job after previously projected starter Austin Novosad had been in line for the role. The decision was confirmed by coach Eddie George in an ESPN report, giving the Cyclones a fresh name to prepare for on the schedule.
Kastantin arrives with a strong Division II track record and earned Northeast-10 Conference MVP honors in 2025, so this is not just a placeholder move for Bowling Green. For Iowa State, it means another layer of scouting work and another quarterback profile to sort through before the trip to face a team that has already made a meaningful shift at the games most important position. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Opener Could Reveal Which New Faces Jimmy Rogers Trusts
The first game of Jimmy Rogers Iowa State tenure should tell a lot about how quickly the new staff is ready to lean on unfamiliar names. When the Cyclones open the 2026 college football season at Jack Trice Stadium against Southeast Missouri, the roster will already be under a spotlight as Rogers starts sorting through a new depth chart and deciding which players are ready for real responsibility.
A few of the clearest candidates to make an early impression are Caden Crawford, Arnold Barnes III and Jaheim Singletary, each carrying a different kind of opportunity into the opener. Their backgrounds and the battle for playing time give the game some added intrigue beyond the result itself, because the way Rogers uses them could offer an early read on which newcomers he trusts most when the season starts to get serious. [Read more 🡒]
Isaac Terrell Could Set The Tone For Iowa State Right Away
Iowa State opens the season against SEMO with a roster that looks almost brand new, including 22 new starters and first-year head coach Jimmy Rogers. Among the most important arrivals is Isaac Terrell, the defensive lineman who followed Rogers from Washington State and gives the Cyclones an immediate anchor up front. His value goes beyond disruption, too, because Iowa State will lean on him not just for pass-rushing pressure but for the kind of steadiness that can help set the standard for a defense still finding its identity.
SEMO brings its own questions into the matchup after quarterback Braylen Ragland was under duress in the Redhawks' first game, when offensive line problems made life difficult. Terrell is exactly the sort of player who can turn those issues into a bigger problem right away, especially early in the season when communication and protection rules are still settling in. For Iowa State, the bigger point is obvious: a strong debut from Terrell could quickly make the Cyclones look much more settled than a team with so many new faces ought to be. [Read more 🡒]