So, while the 2026 NBA Draft is quickly approaching, I stumbled upon what Illinois basketball might have in the 2027 rendition.
This year, the Illini will have Keaton Wagler picked in the top 10, with Kylan Boswell hopefully coming somewhere in the middle of the second round. I think that is pretty set, but what intrigues me is what Brad Underwood could have on his hands for next year’s draft.
A projected 2027 NBA Draft by NBA Draft Room got me thinking about the possibilities next season.
This projection had four Illinois players getting selected, but there are obvious flaws to the mock draft. The biggest flaw is clearly not having Quentin Coleman as a selection.
My guess is that Coleman is going to be the top Illinois selection next year, and he isn’t even mentioned in the mock draft.
The mock draft did have David Mirkovic going No. 37 overall to the New Orleans Pelicans, Andrej Stojakovic going No. 49 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lucas Morillo going No. 50 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Tomislav Ivisic going No. 59 to the Denver Nuggets.
Most of these I don’t have a huge issue with. I think Coleman is a top 20 pick next year. I legitimately could see Mirkovic going in the first round. Players like Nikola Jokic have opened the door for players like Mirkovic to be taken more seriously. He has the best set of skills on the Illinois roster, too.
Stojakovic is a wild card for Illinois. If he can figure out his shot, he is a first round pick in 2027. He has all of the physical tools and ability around the rim to be an NBA player, but his shot is just not there. If he figures that out, watch out world.
I could see both Morillo and Ivisic going in the second round. Illinois doesn’t know what we are getting with Morillo, and at 7-foot-1, Ivisic has great size, but he is coming off the worst shooting season of his career. Like Stojakovic, if Ivisic can figure out his shot from the perimeter, the world is his oyster.
Illinois basketball has multiple 2027 NBA Draft sleepers on the roster
I mentioned that Coleman being left off the 2027 mock draft isn’t right. There is a chance the mock draft hasn’t been updated yet, but he should be the top option for Illinois in next year’s draft.
Illinois also has a couple of sleepers that aren’t projected to be selected in the 2027 draft.
I think Stefan Vaaks has a chance to not only be a draft pick, but he could easily sneak into the first round. At 6-foot-7, Vaaks can shoot from anywhere on the court. He is a prototypical wing in the NBA.
Another name to keep an eye on is Zvonimir Ivisic. He is an inch taller than his brother, and if he starts hitting from three-point range like we know he can, then Ivisic could jump up into the NBA Draft talks.
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