Summer League is over, and the next wave of NBA Draft conversation is already starting to take shape. With the 2026 class now in the league, attention is shifting toward the 2027 group, and while names like Tyran Stokes, Caleb Holt and returning event players such as Thomas Haugh have already drawn notice, there are still several prospects working a little farther off the radar.
One of the more intriguing names is TCU’s Emanuel Edmonds. After two seasons at Salt Lake Community College, he broke through with All-Big 12 honors in his first year with the Horned Frogs. The rising senior is listed at 6-foot-8 and 258 pounds, and he posted 12.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and a steal per game while shooting 57% from the field and 43.6% from 3-point range on low volume.
Another frontcourt player to keep in mind is Michigan’s Aday Mara. After a junior season at Tennessee in which he averaged 10 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 59.6% from the field, he heads into his senior year listed at 6-foot-11 and 240 pounds. He should be part of the effort to replace some of the Wolverines’ frontcourt depth.
Miami’s Malik Henderson also has the kind of profile that can start turning heads quickly. A former five-star recruit, he delivered a promising freshman season in 2025-26, averaging 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 56.7% from the field and 25.5% from beyond the arc. At 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, he could be set up for a major sophomore jump.
Purdue added another name worth tracking in Caden Pierce, who sat out 2025-26 after three seasons at Princeton and transferred over in the offseason. In 2024-25, the former Ivy League Player of the Year put up 11.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and a steal per game while shooting 46.5% from the filed and 31.6% from deep. Pierce, the younger brother of Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce, is listed at 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds.
Texas also brings in a player who could climb into the draft picture. After two seasons at TCU, Punch transferred to Texas and is set to join what should be a formidable Longhorns roster in 2026-27.
The rising junior averaged 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals per game in 2025-26 while shooting 50.3% from the field and 23.9% from 3-point range. He is listed at 6-foot-7 and 245 pounds.
Florida State’s Taylor rounds out the group. He spent two seasons at UNC Asheville before moving to Florida State ahead of the 2026-27 season, and the rising junior is listed at 6-foot-7 and 185 pounds. Last season, he averaged 18.9 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game while shooting 45.3% from the field and 28.1% from beyond the arc.
In Other News...
National Analyst Sees Something Different In Texas Ahead Of SEC Race
Greg McElroy came away from SEC Media Days with a noticeably upbeat read on Texas, and it was rooted in how the Longhorns have handled the offseason heading into the 2026 SEC race. The former Alabama quarterback said Texas has built real momentum through transfer portal additions and upgrades at certain positions, giving the roster a different feel than the one that finished last season.
McElroy also pointed to Steve Sarkisian as a coach who seems intent on pushing the program forward with significant changes, not just incremental tweaks. For a Texas team trying to keep pace in a league that rarely waits for anyone, that kind of offseason activity suggests the Longhorns are aiming higher than simply being part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Just Got A Huge Cole Hutson Update Fans Needed
Texas offensive line has been waiting on clarity around Cole Hutson, and now there is at least a path forward. The veteran linemans situation has moved into the legal process, giving the Longhorns a chance to potentially regain a player who has already shown he can handle meaningful snaps up front and provide some needed flexibility across the interior.
For a team still sorting out its best combinations, Hutsons status matters because it could affect the depth chart and the competition for a starting spot on the left side. The next step will come in court, and until that plays out, Texas is left watching a process that could eventually put Hutson back in the mix this season. [Read more 🡒]
Sarkisian Sends A Blunt Message Before Texas Faces Former Longhorn
Parker Livingstones path from Austin to Norman has turned the Red River Rivalry into more than just another October measuring stick for Texas. The former Longhorn wideout made enough of an imprint in his time in burnt orange to be remembered around the program, and his move to Oklahoma only sharpened the interest around a matchup that already carries plenty of edge.
Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning both addressed the reunion publicly this week, a sign of how quickly the storyline has taken hold inside the Texas camp. For the Longhorns, it adds a personal layer to a game that usually needs no help, even with Texas still stocked at receiver and focused on the bigger picture beyond one former teammate. [Read more 🡒]