The 2027 NBA Draft class is already shaping up with more than just the headline freshman names. Yes, Tyran Stokes, Jordan Smith Jr., Caleb Holt and the rest of the incoming stars will grab plenty of attention, but a few returning players are in position to force their way into the first-round conversation as juniors.
One of the most intriguing names is Harris, who built his case over two seasons at Wake Forest before choosing to move on to Tennessee for his junior year. As a sophomore, he put up 21.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 33.2% from 3-point range on 7.5 attempts per game. At 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, his blend of perimeter size and scoring punch gives him a real chance to hear his name called in the first round in 2027.
Ngongba is another returning player with serious draft upside after a breakout sophomore season at Duke. The former five-star prospect, listed at 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, averaged 10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, two assists and 1.1 blocks per game in 2025-26 while shooting 60.6% from the field and 25.8% from 3. With another strong year, he could push himself into lottery territory.
Richmond also made a clear statement in 2025-26 at Arkansas. The 6-foot-7, 205-pound wing averaged 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, two assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 56.3% from the field and 25.9% from deep as a sophomore.
He had the option to enter the 2026 NBA Draft after that season, but instead chose to stay with the Razorbacks. If he stacks another solid campaign on top of that one, first-round buzz in 2027 should follow.
Tanner is the smallest of the group, but his game still gives him a shot to land in the first round. He also went through the 2026 draft process before deciding to return to school.
The size questions are obvious - he measured 5-foot-10-and-three-quarters at the combine with a 6-foot-4-and-a-quarter wingspan - but the production was hard to ignore. As a sophomore, the All-SEC honoree averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 48.5% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt's Quarterback Battle Just Got More Complicated Before Saturday
Vanderbilt trimmed the workload and spent a shorter practice on live action ahead of Saturdays scrimmage, and the quarterback competition remained front and center. Jared Curtis and Blaze Berlowitz both had opportunities to make their case, with the session giving the staff another close look at how each handles game-speed work as the battle continues to sort itself out.
The bigger takeaway was that neither quarterback let the other run away with the day, while Coleman also kept pushing for a role as he works through his transition from tight end. With the scrimmage still ahead, the Commodores are left with more evaluation to do and another chance for the depth chart to shift before the week is over. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilts New Offensive Line Is Already Changing The Offenses Outlook
Vanderbilts offensive line has spent fall camp trying to turn a major reset into a strength, and so far the early signs have been encouraging. The Union is working with only one returning starter in Cade McConnell, while newcomers Beau Johnson, Lyndon Cooper and Micah DeBose have quickly been folded into the mix, giving the group a very different look than it had a year ago.
Offensive line coach Chris Klenakis has pointed to progress in technique, discipline and communication, all areas that mattered as the Commodores tried to stabilize the front. With the first scrimmage looming, the bigger question is how quickly that growth shows up when the unit has to function as one, but the early sense around the group is that this version of the line may be farther along than anyone expected. [Read more 🡒]