2027 NBA Draft: Three Players Who Could Have Breakout Junior Seasons

Sophomores who played under 40% of their team's minutes this past season who could have breakout junior campaigns.

Mar 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Houston Cougars guard Mercy Miller (25) dribbles the ball during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

While the 2026 NBA Draft is approaching, there's a handful of intriguing sophomores who returned to school and were impactful in limited minutes. Below we take a look at three players who played less than 40% of their team's minutes this past season and could have breakout junior campaigns.

Daniel Jacobsen, Purdue

Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats forward Tre Singleton (8) defends Purdue Boilermakers center Daniel Jacobsen (12) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The 7-foot-4, 230-pound rising junior recorded 17 points, 9.4 rebounds, one assist, and 3.7 blocks per 40 minutes this past season while shooting 73.8% at the rim (84 attempts), 48.6% on non-rim twos (35 attempts), but only 62.7% from the free throw line (75 attempts).

Additionally, he recorded an offensive rebound percentage of 11.3 and a block percentage of 11.7. Any 7-foot-4 player making an impact on one of the best teams in the country should be monitored next season as a 2027 NBA Draft prospect.

Pharaoh Compton, Oregon

Dec 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Diego State Aztecs forward Pharaoh Compton (5) against the Arizona Wildcats during the Hall of Fame Series at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-8, 245-pound forward played his first two seasons at San Diego State and is transferring to Oregon for his upcoming junior season.

This past season, as a sophomore for the Aztecs, Compton recorded 21.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, one assist, 1.4 steals, and 2.6 blocks per 40 minutes while shooting 81.9% at the rim (105 attempts) but only 31.6% on non-rim twos (19 attempts) and 62.5% from the free throw line (72 attempts).

Additionally, Compton made a significant impact on the offensive glass and as a defensive event creator -- recording a 10.9 offensive rebound percentage, a steal percentage of two, and a 8.9 block percentage this past season. He's someone to monitor next year for the 2027 NBA Draft and could have a breakout junior season.

Mercy Miller, Houston

Mar 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Houston Cougars guard Mercy Miller (25) dribbles the ball during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound guard recorded 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 2.1 steals, and 0.6 blocks per 40 minutes this past season while shooting 67.6% at the rim (34 attempts), 49.1% on non-rim twos (55 attempts), 34% from three (50 attempts), and 73.2% from the free throw line (41 attempts). Additionally, Miller recorded a 3.2 steal percentage and a 1.8 block percentage. The rising junior is also someone to watch as a potential junior breakout this upcoming season.

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NBA Draft on SI's full archive of scouting reports for the 2026 NBA Draft can be found here. The 2026 draft will take place on Tuesday, June 23 and Wednesday, June 24. Both nights will begin at 7 p.m. CT.