2027 NBA Mock Draft With Analysis – 10/21/26

Opening day is upon us! The NCAA season is also around the corner, and soon we will have a better idea of which freshmen to talk about.

You can view the current 2027 NBA Draft Big Board here.

As always, I ran a lottery simulator. Original draft position in parenthesis.

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The Pelicans will get the best of their own pick or Milwaukee’s pick in 2027. They win the first crap shoot lottery, and draft a possible long term offensive running mate for Jeremiah Fears. Tyran Stokes has some immaturity concerns and is not the best shooter, but he has good size, is a versatile scorer and willing defender. At this very early stage, he is the consensus best prospect in this class.

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The last time Dallas drafted a guard from Slovenia, it worked out pretty well. Most foreign teens are coming to the states to play in college, so true international prospects are far and few between. Stefan Joksimovic is an exception. I think the flashy Euro League guard is the one player in this class with true superstar potential. Like fellow countryman Luka Doncic, Joksimovic is a crafty scorer with some point guard skills. He is not a great shooter yet, but has the potential to be a very good offensive player. He would make an exciting running mate to Cooper Flagg in Dallas.

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The amount of traded picks in this draft is staggering. Couple that with the new lottery reform, and some very good teams could have high draft picks in 2027. Enter the 50 win Houston Rockets. Jordan Smith Jr. could be a great fit for them as a possible eventual replacement for Fred VanVleet. Like the other top prospects, his shooting lacks a bit behind, but he is a tough, aggressive scorer and tenacious defender. With Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas off to the NBA, Smith Jr. should have the keys to the Arkansas offense.

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The Thunder are the envy of the NBA, in part to the number of upcoming picks they still own. Because the Clippers are set to crash and burn, Oklahoma City could win 60 games and still have a top five pick. Caleb Holt would be an absolutely perfect replacement for Luguentz Dort. Like Dort, Holt is built like an NFL tight end. He is strong, can drive on offense and is a great defender. If he can improve a shaky three point shot, loo out.

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The Warriors want to continue to contend, but half their team seems to be injured. This is a team in definite transition, and a top five pick will help. Bruce Branch III is a solid two-way wing with athletic upside. He may not have the strength and defensive ability of the other top prospects, but he can shoot, drive to the basket, and will not embarrass himself defensively.

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Memphis could have up to three first round picks in this draft, and should go best player available with every selection. Braylon Mullins could be the top non-freshman or Euro in this class. He played a part time roll for UConn, but should step into an alpha role this year. He is a fantastic shooter with good size, and could be a solid defender as well. Shooting is always in demand, and he may be the best at it in this class.

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The Grizzlies luck into back-to-back early lottery picks here. Anthony Thompson may be Ohio State’s highest ever basketball recruit. He has ideal size for a swing forward, and is a very good shooter. The rest of his game is coming together, but thanks to his jump shot, strength and length, he could be a favorite of scouts.

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Atlanta gets the worst of Milwaukee and New Orleans first round pick, so there is a great chance they could have yet another lottery selection in 2027. It seems like teams are more inclined to take seniors in the lottery. Motiejus Krivas is not a huge offensive threat, but has great size, and can provide tough defense and rebounding. He would be a nice contrast to the offensive minded Onyeka Okongwu for Atlanta, and provide the roster with some much needed size.

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This is another first round pick that Atlanta has to send to San Antonio for Dejounte Murray, who is no longer on the team. France sat the 2026 draft out, but is back here, with yet another long, intriguing prospect. Like Noa Essengue and Tidjane Saluan, Hugo Yimga-Moukori is more defense than offense and shooting at this point. He has good size, is strong, and has the ability to be a good combo forward who can score tough buckets and provide solid defense.

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Many people, including me, expect the Kings to be the worst team in the NBA. The new lottery reform claims its first victim, as Sacramento falls all the way to 10. Other than point guard, every position should be on the table. The Illini are a team led by a bunch of veteran European born players, but top recruit Quentin Coleman will take over for Keaton Wagler. He is one of the better shooters in this class. It is impossible to predict what freshmen could have big roles at this point, but Coleman has potential.

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Wendell Carter Jr. seems to be the weak link in Orlando’s starting lineup. Luigi Suigo generated some late first round looks during the 2026 draft process, but chose to head to Villanova for at least one season. He is huge, but has more of a finesse game offensively. He has legitimate three point range on his jump shot. A huge project, literally and figuratively, but a name to remember.

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A 50 win Rockets team could have two lottery picks. 2027 will be a crazy year. Thomas Haugh could have been a late lottery pick in 2026, but chose to return to Florida for his senior season. He HAD little to gain by skipping the NBA, as he may be maxed out as a prospect, but his ability to shoot, rebound and play solid defense, along with his experience, should make him attractive to a team like Houston.

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After a waste of a 2025-2026 season, the Pacers will hope to storm back into contention this year. Considering all he dealt with, from an injury to a car accident, the fact that Alijah Arenas returned to the court at all in 2025 was a huge success. He should continue to improve his scoring percentages, and could flirt with 20 points per game as a sophomore. Arenas probably fits best as a combo scoring guard off of the bench.

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The Hornets drafted two offensive minded players in the 2026 draft, and could use some players who can do the dirty work. The German born Ivan Kharchenkov is one of the better on the ball defenders in this class. He is strong and rugged, and would be a perfect fit in Charlotte’s second unit.

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The rebuilding Chicago Bulls are big losers here, falling ten spots to number 15. Amari Allen has a nice all around game, and could easily outplay this draft slot with continued development. He should be the leader of what could be a pretty good Alabama team.

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Washington is going with the dual-timeline thing, building around both AJ Dybantsa and a couple of big name veterans. The Maryland commit, Baba Oladotun, can really stroke it from deep. However, he is thin and weak, and needs to both bulk up and expand his overall game. However, his ability to shoot will get him plenty of late lottery looks, in hopes the rest of his game expands.

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Portland is doubling down on its effort to make the playoffs. This guard heavy roster could use some balance. Looking at Miikaa Muurinen in practices and scrimmages, it would be easy to convince yourself that he is the best prospect in this class. He has failed to consistently produce in games, however. He will try his hand at an American college, joining John Calipari at Arkansas. Muurinen has elite size and skills for a stretch big/wing. He can shoot, and get to the basket. Consistency, effort and defense are all question marks. Still, Portland took Hansen Yang at this spot two years ago, so they are not afraid of mega-projects.

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Every team could use bench shooting. Trey McKenney shot 39% from deep as a freshman, and could double his scoring average as a sophomore, as Michigan lost quite a bit of offensive power, both to the NBA and to injury.

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This is the Grizzlies third pick of the first round. Jason Crowe Jr. is the second highest player Missouri has ever recruited. He is one of the best scorers amongst incoming freshmen. Whether he can show point guard skills to elevate him beyond combo status remains to be seen, but his ability to get buckets should make him an asset off of the Memphis bench.

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The Jazz received a Walker Kessler offer that was too good to pass up, but it did create a hole at center. Patrick Ngongba II is not exciting, but should be a decent enough starting center for quite a while. He can score with efficiency, rebound his position and will not hurt his team defensively.

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Other than the top guys, it is hard to predict what incoming freshman will have an impact and be included in my 2027 draft class. Right now, I am adding players who seem to be in a good position to play solid minutes. Christian Collins should be a solid running mate for Alijah Arenas at USC. He is tall, lanky and has a good jump shot. Like a lot of young guys, he needs to get stronger, but there is starting potential here.

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Detroit needs to continue to surround its stars with shooters. That may be all Milan Momcilovic cab do, but he is darn good at it. The Kentucky transfer knocked down almost half of his three point attempts last year, and looks like a Duncan Robinson clone.

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Houston has the option to swap first round picks with the Nets, which is why Brooklyn is picking here. Matas Vokieaitis had a very good freshman season for Texas. He reminds me a bit of Jonas Valanciunas. An offensive minded center who can chip in enough on the boards and defensively to become a low end starter. Brooklyn traded Nic Claxton and does not have a valid replacement on the roster.

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The Clippers received the death penalty from the league, but at least get to keep this pick. Cameron Williams was Duke’s top recruit, but is not expected to be a big part of the rotation to start the year. He is a bit like a less polished version of Caleb Wilson offensively. He needs to get stronger, but may be the best shot blocker of any incoming top freshman.

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Oh look, another Thunder first round pick. They could realistically draft a young big man every year, to keep the cheap talent coming. After a freshman season where he showed promise as a scorer, rebounder and even playmaker, Malachi Moreno went through the pre-draft process, but chose to return to Kentucky for his sophomore year. With an expanded role, he could flirt with a double double, which could make him an easy first round pick.

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Arkansas had a lot of mouths to feed last year, but Billy Richmond III was impressive, despite limited touches. He is a solid mid-range scorer and a good defender. If he can push his three point percentage into the 30’s, he could be a top 20 pick.

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Another late first round pick for Brooklyn, who has seemed to live in this spot of the draft the past couple of years. Like a lot of young wing players in college, Shelton Henderson is a jump shot away from no-doubt first round status. He is a tough scorer and solid defender, but he needs to show that he can knock downlong range jumpers.

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The 76ers star studded roster lacks front court depth. The Florida Gators may have the best front court in college basketball, and Rueben Chinyelu plays a key role. The tough 265 pounder is one of the best rebounders in the nation, and is a tough defender. The lack of any range on his shot probably limits him to back up center status, but Philadelphia will be fine with that.

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The Thunder had to give away three rotation players during the off-season, and will not have room for three more rookies, but whatever. This is a mock draft, so we mention that fact and move on. Killyan Toure is yet another foreign player gone NCAA in this class. The French guard may be a tweener offensively, but has some point guard skills, can shoot it a bit, and could be a real pest defensively.

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The Thunder seem to own every pick in this draft excerpt their own. Dame Sarr is an intriguing defensive wing prospect, who could explode as a sophomore. It was rough for him offensively, but he does have potential as a scorer. It is his length and ability to be a pesky defender that could get him plenty of first round looks a year from now.

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