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...
Michigan Just Took A Costly QB Recruiting Hit For 2028
Michigans 2027 class is already in good shape, but the staff has shifted some attention to the 2028 quarterback board, where the early stakes are starting to get real. That matters because the Wolverines have been trying to stay ahead of the curve at the most important position on the field, and the first signs of how that cycle could unfold are already forcing some recalibration.
Lukas Prock had been one of the names Michigan could point to as a potential fit, which made his recent decision a meaningful swing in the recruiting picture. With that path now closed, the Wolverines are left sorting through a different group of targets and trying to determine which arm they can realistically move on before the board thins out further. [Read more 🡒]
These 3 Buckeyes Still Make Michigan Fans Absolutely Sick
Some names in the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry linger longer than others, and J.T. Barrett is one of the ones Wolverines fans never quite shake. He was the steady hand in the Buckeyes' run of success against Michigan, the quarterback who kept stacking wins in a series where every mistake gets remembered, and every calm drive seems to land a little harder in Ann Arbor. Troy Smith belongs in that same bucket, too, with a rsum built on big moments against Michigan and the kind of leadership Ohio State fans still point to when they talk about the rivalry at its most intense.
Maurice Clarett is different, but no less aggravating for Michigan followers. His Ohio State career was tied to the Buckeyes' 2002 championship season, and his lone game against Michigan left a mark because he was so central to the result. Even beyond the field, his name still carries the baggage of the controversies that followed, which only adds another layer to why his brief but memorable run against the Wolverines remains such a sore spot. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Is Already Pushing Hard For A Quarterback Fans Will Watch Closely
Michigans quarterback board already has a name drawing plenty of attention, and Kaden Craft is right near the top of it. The North Carolina prospect has become a priority target for the Wolverines, with offensive coordinator Jason Beck and quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr. both heavily involved in his recruitment as Michigan looks for a passer who fits its offensive direction.
Crafts size and playmaking ability have made him an appealing fit, and the Wolverines are far from alone in the chase. Maryland, NC State, Georgia, Florida State and Miami are all in the mix, but Michigan has made a strong early push, helped by a recent multi-day visit to Ann Arbor that gave Craft extended time with Beck and Detmer Jr. and left the staff with plenty to build on. [Read more 🡒]