Evaluating the Top Draft Duos in the 2027 NBA Draft

Assessing which players could be set to raise the stock of their teammate.

Mar 31, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Jordan Smith Jr (23) during the McDonalds All American Boys Game at Desert Diamond Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Through the 2026 NBA Draft cycle, there were a number of duos that took college basketball by storm, then were drafted highly together.

Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr. were both drafted in the first round out of Houston, as were Brayden Burries and Koa Peat, who helped Arizona to the Final Four. Duke had several prominent prospects that could’ve been paired with Cameron Boozer — though Isaiah Evans was drafted the highest — and Arkansas had two high-impact five-stars in Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas.

The 2027 draft is sure to run back a similar strategy, with plenty of teams owning two or more top talents.

Below, we’ll look at prospects who could play off one another next season, boosting every bit of stock in the process:

Jordan Smith Jr. and JJ Andrews, Arkansas

After losing prospects to the ’26 draft, Arkansas and head coach John Calipari are set to reload yet again. They’ll have an interesting returnee in Billy Richmond III, though five-star recruits Jordan Smith Jr. and JJ Andrews have the highest ceilings.

Smith is presently ranked among the top players in the class. A 6-foot-2 guard, he is an elite two-way player, able to get downhill, hit jumpers, defend across a few different positions with length and more. Andrews is a physical scoring wing who would fit nicely into the NBA from a tools perspective, but will need to prove his impact as a freshman.

There’s a good chance Smith can thrive on his own with his ability to blend between positions and impact the game. Though Andrews will benefit massively from chemistry and support from Smith.

Patrick Ngongba II and Dame Sarr, Duke

Duke has a myriad of prospects that could be drafted next year, though none that could benefit from synergy more than Patrick Ngongba II and Dame Sarr.

Both returnees, they’re some of the only Blue Devils left with established on-court chemistry, and they’ll need one another to reach their ceilings.

Ngongba is an above-average passing big with a knack for two-way play, and Sarr will be relied on for transition play, 3-point shooting and stingy defense.

If they can find a way to help each other out, both could be drafted in the middle of the first round. Sarr's 3-point numbers could hinge on Ngongba's passing, and vice versa regarding Ngongba's room for operation and play-finishing. If not, both of their stock could slip.