Duke, UCLA 2028 NBA Draft Prospects Setting new Collegiate Standard

For decades now, basketball prospects have done everything they can to get to the NBA as fast as possible.

Years ago, that meant joining the world’s best basketball league straight out of high school. Now, with the minimum being 19-years-old to sign with an NBA team, most see at least one season of college or international play.

The one-and-done — high-output players who usually come into the season with the goal of joining the NBA — have dominated the upper ranks of the NBA Draft for some time. It’s tougher to impact college basketball with just one season, though several are still the top talents available, such as Cooper Flagg, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and more.

Now, a few 2028 NBA Draft prospects are setting an entirely new standard.

UCLA’s Nikola Kusturica and Duke’s Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje will be playing college basketball in the upcoming season as two of the highest-ranked prospects in the world, regardless of class. They’ll also be ineligible for the 2027 NBA Draft due to their youth, meaning they’re likely to play out a second season of college basketball the following year.

Kusturica, a 6-foot-9 wing, signed a two-year deal with UCLA worth millions. He’s been a standout in FIBA play at just 17-years-old, showing off scoring, play-making and more.

Seven-footer Boumtje Boumtje has followed a similar path, signing to play with Duke while being named the MVP of FIBA U17’s. He too will need to play two seasons with the Blue Devils before becoming draft eligible.

Playing two collegiate seasons before being drafted — one at 17 and one at 18 — isn’t completely unheard of. Arizona State turned Kentucky big Jayden Quaintance did so, though his second season was marred with the very same knee injury that helped him out of the end of his first campaign with the Sun Devils.

Quaintance was a five-star and top prospects — as reference by his still being selected in the first round — though Kusturica and Boumtje Boumtje are firmly among the top prospects on the planet. Both will be in contention to become the No. 1 picks in 2028.

The union is likely set to be a great one all around. The draft prospects will get multiple seasons of college experience, learning the ropes in their first season before likely emerging as some of the best players in the country in Year 2. Programs will get multiple seasons now from top players, likely getting true impact in the second season with more experience.

If the two can see success as both freshman and sophmores, it could entice even more prospects to take their path.

Kusturica and Boumtje Boumtje won't be eligible for the upcoming draft, but tabs will still need to be kept on how they far next season.

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