We are still a long way away from the 2027 NBA Draft commencing, but breadcrumbs are being dropped everywhere on who could be selected.
Illinois basketball has a team with a ton of talent. Seven of the top 100 players in the college game reside in Champaign. That is an impressive number.
What could end up being even more impressive is that by season’s end, Illinois could have quite a few players in the 2027 NBA Draft.
In the post by Jonathan Wasserman that laid out the top 100 players in college basketball, you can deduce the potential NBA Draft picks. In fact, he breaks down the list a little bit based on NBA Draft slots.
Top 100 NBA Prospects entering 2027 NBA Draft cycle https://t.co/5TI8OuXEFr
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) August 25, 2026
Wasserman has the top five, which are usually the most coveted players in the NBA Draft. Arkansas has two of the top five, which is crazy. The NBA Draft Lottery is then rounded out with the top 14.
The first round designation is then put on the next group of players, which goes from No. 15 through No. 30. This is where we find the first Illinois player.
Quentin Coleman is projected as the No. 19 player in the country. The five-star recruit hasn’t played a second for the Illini, but he has the hype of a star coming into what is likely his lone year in Champaign.
After that first round projection, the list then transitions into just ranking the players. The next group is No. 31 through No. 45. Illinois lands two players in this group.
David Mirkovic is next to check in at No. 42. Stefan Vaaks is right behind him at No. 43. If you do some quick math, there are 30 NBA teams. There are two rounds in the NBA Draft. That is roughly 60 picks for the 2027 NBA Draft, meaning anyone in the top 60 has a chance to be selected.
Mirkovic and Vaaks are projected early-to-mid second round picks in the 2027 NBA Draft. Illinois is currently on track to have three players selected.
And don’t sleep on the rest of the bunch on the list. Lucas Morillo hasn’t played a game in college, but he is the No. 61 player, which is one spot outside the top 60. Andrej Stojakovic checks in at No. 75. He has the name to be selected. Zvonimir and Tomislav Ivisic are No. 89 and No. 92, respectively, on this list. NBA loves big men who can shoot from the perimeter.
Illinois basketball could set some NBA Draft firsts in 2027
It is great to see Illinois winning on the court and being able to send talent to the NBA. To think that we only had one player picked in the NBA Draft in the 2010s is frustrating. That has all changed.
If Coleman were to be picked No. 19 overall in the 2027 NBA Draft, that would give Illinois back-to-back-to-back top 20 picks for the first time in program history.
Getting three players selected in the 2027 NBA Draft would be another big accomplishment. The last time the Illini had three players picked was back in 1990. If Morillo or someone else could sneak in there, that would give Illinois four draft selections. That has never happened.
Illinois is poised for a big year. That big year could lead to a lot of Illini names being called on draft night. Brad Underwood has a ton of talent to manage in 2026-27.
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