2027 NBA Draft: Three Prospects who Could Surprise This Season

Checking in on three prospects who could suprise with a break into the top five.

Mar 31, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Anthony Thompson (1) during the McDonalds All American Boys Game at Desert Diamond Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the 2025 and 2026 NBA Drafts having sent numerous stars and contributors to the NBA over the last two years, the 2027 class doesn’t look quite as sparkly by comparison. Still, there are sure to be surprises, even outside of top prospects like Tyran Stokes, Caleb Holt, Stefan Joksimovic and more who could offer No. 1-level talents.

Below, we’ll look at three prospects who aren’t currently thought of to be Tier-1 players, but who could get there with impressive upcoming seasons:

Cameron Williams, Duke

Duke five-star Cameron Williams is sure to have a wide draft range. For now, his upside is mostly theoretical, with him offering unteachable size and athleticism, as well as simple play-finishing and shooting touch.

Williams has the prototypical size of a modern forward at 6-foot-11, but will need to assimilate quickly and stand out in Duke’s system to earn top-three looks. It’s possible he’ll continue blossoming and do so, though not likely.

Hitting threes and playing elite defense are likely the easiest ways for him to achieve his ceiling with the Blue Devils.

Bruce Branch, BYU

A 6-foot-7 scoring wing with great length, Bruce Branch is set to follow up AJ Dybantsa at BYU, and will likely be able to take on some of that scoring load left behind. Because of that, he’s seen as a potential lottery pick for most.

He doesn’t yet rank among the top three to five consistently, but his natural skill could soon place him there. He can shoot, shot-make in the mid-range, handle the ball in moderation and get downhill. He’s slightly pigeonholed as a creator right now, but is set to enter a fine situation with the Cougars.

If Branch can simultaneously function as an impactful wing while showing promise of guard play down the line, teams could covet him much higher.

Anthony Thompson, Ohio State

A 6-foot-8 forward, incoming Ohio State five-star Anthony Thompson — a consensus top-10 recruit — is a known factor as a scorer of the basketball. In his final high school season, he poured on just shy of 24 points per game, doing so with a combination of shot-making inside and beyond the arc, as well as an increasingly dangerous downhill game.

Because of that, Thompson is slated to be a top-10 pick for most, though his lack of versatility outside of scoring could leave him outside of the upper echelons. 

Still, Thompson is lengthy, still gaining athleticism and coordination, and has the stats to prove ancillary production at the preps level. If he can score the ball at will while adding rebounding, defense and passing, he could earn his way into the top-three.