NBA front offices will now take a way-too-early look toward the 2027 class, where a reduced talent pool and a reloaded UConn roster eyeing a Final Four return could help the Huskies program once again crack the draft lottery.

With several notable publications releasing 2027 projections following this week’s draft, here’s how a few members of the 2026-27 UConn roster stack up: 

ESPN: 6
The Athletic: 5 
Sports Illustrated: 10

Overview: Mullins’ decision to spurn the historically deep 2026 draft and return to Storrs for his sophomore season appears to be paying off so far, as the 6-foot-6 wing will begin the upcoming NCAA season with a healthy NIL package and a fairly consensus top-10 grade in 2027. Arriving to Storrs as a five-star McDonald’s All-American, Mullins’ freshman season was bookended by adversity, missing time early with a pre-season ankle injury before struggling mightily with his perimeter shot in the postseason, causing the Indiana native to slip into the late-first round in many projections for this year’s draft before withdrawing. 

ESPN: 33
The Athletic: 29
Sports Illustrated: 8
Bleacher Report: 9

Overview: A fringe five-star freshman joining Hurley’s program this summer, Landrew has taken the opportunity to prove himself at the international level this summer as a top contributor on Team USA’s U-18 FIBA AmeriCup Team, leading many to believe he can jump into the NBA Draft lottery next year. Landrew’s football background and outstanding athleticism make him a tantalizing prospect, with The Athletic explaining that the Georgia native would be ranked higher if not for concerns about his playing time in a crowded UConn position group — Landrew will compete against senior Jayden Ross and fellow freshman Junior County on the wing. 

ESPN: N/A
The Athletic: N/A
Sports Illustrated: 22

Overview: More of a peripheral 2027 NBA Draft prospect at this stage, Hines still has plenty to prove at the college level, averaging just 18 minutes per game last season at Seton Hall while committing 5.2 fouls per 40 minutes. Still, Hines was college basketball’s second-most-efficient shot blocker last season as a freshman, one of the NBA’s most coveted skill sets, and Hurley has shown a proficiency for developing NBA rim-protectors in recent years, as demonstrated by Donovan Clingan and Reed. 

Additionally, New Haven native and Notre Dame-West Haven star Abdou Toure has started to blip on NBA radars ahead of next year’s draft. Toure, who will play his freshman season at Arkansas this year, is listed among “Other Names to Watch” by The Athletic and “Other Freshman to Monitor” by The Athletic.Â