NBA Draft

Pair of Potential 2027 NBA Draft Prospects Announce Next Steps

Two players who have the potential to be selected in the 2027 NBA Draft both made news on Thursday.
Randall Sweet|
Owasso Rams guard Jalen Montonati (1) drives to the basket during the third quarter of a City of Palms Classic quarterfinal game against the Oak Ridge Pioneers at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla., on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.
Owasso Rams guard Jalen Montonati (1) drives to the basket during the third quarter of a City of Palms Classic quarterfinal game against the Oak Ridge Pioneers at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla., on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. | Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oklahoma State Cowboys

The 2027 NBA Draft is still a long ways away, but a pair of prospects in the cycle made headlines on Thursday.

First, four-star wing Jalen Montonati announced his commitment to Steve Lutz and Oklahoma State. Later in the day, five-star Finish prospect Miika Muurinen revealed that he will not return to Compass Prep (AZ), the same program that produced recent NBA Draft picks Jeremiah Fears, TyTy Washington, Maxwell Lewis, Javon Small and Jabari Walker.

Both players have the potential to develop into future NBA Draft picks, even if it isn't in the 2027 class. Here's a closer look at the two future draft hopefuls.

Miika Muurinen

Muurinen is coming off a few impressive performance on Finland's senior national team this summer in FIBA EuroBasket competition.

Overall, Muurinen averaged 6.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game, but showed impressive flashes for a young prospect sharing the court with players like Lauri Markkanen and Nikola Jokic. On Sept. 12, Muurinen tallied 12 points, two rebounds and a block in a semifinal contest against Germany.

Listed at 6-foot-10, Muurinen is rated the No. 15 overall prospect and No. 3 power forward in the 2026 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.

On Thursday, though, Jonathan Givony reported that Muurinen will leave his prep school in Arizona, and pursue professional options in Europe or Australia.

Muurinen is the son of former Little Rock Trojans forward Kimmo Muurinen, who averaged 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds as a sophomore in the Sun Belt Conference during the 2003-04 season. Kimmo went on to play professionally in multiple European leagues, but Miike appears to have what it takes to be a premier pick in a future NBA Draft.

Jalen Montonati

Like Muurinen, Montonati is also the son of a former college basketball player.

Brian Montonati starred for Oklahoma State, more than 20 years ago, earning All-Big 12 honors during the 1999-2000 season. Now, Jalen will have the opportunity to follow in his father's footsteps.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 175 pounds, Montonati has a high basketball IQ and good size on the wing, as well as a solid handle and reliable perimeter shot. To become an NBA Draft pick, Montonati will need to get stronger and work on his explosiveness, but Montonati has the skills to garner attention from scouts.

Rated the No. 58 overall prospect and No. 23 small forward in the 2026 recruiting class according to 247Sports, Montonati likely won't be at the top of draft boards when he gets to Stillwater, but the Tulsa-area product has a chance to make a big impact for the Pokes as a freshman.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.

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