Which 2027 NBA Draft Prospects are Biggest 'Unknowns' Entering NCAA Season

With a number of returning college basketball players and high-profile incoming freshman in the 2027 NBA Draft class, most of the top prospects are already well established heading into the 2026-27 college basketball season.

There are still a few players, though, who are new to college basketball or on new teams that could be picked in the upcoming draft.

Bassala Bagayoko, Texas Tech

Bagayoko declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, but elected to withdraw his name and will play for Texas Tech this season.

Born in 2006, the 6-foot-10 big man man from Mali averaged 3.9 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 55.7% from the field in 12.7 minutes per game across 31 contests for Surne Bilbao Basket in Spain's top professional basketball league.

Anton Bonke, Michigan State

After a breakout 2025-26 season at Charlotte, Bonke transferred to Michigan State over the offseason, joining a strong Spartans' squad.

In 2024-25 at Providence, Bonke played 105 total minutes, averaging 1.3 points per game. With the 49ers, though, the Vanuatu-born big man tallied 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, an assist and 1.5 blocks per game.

Listed at 7-foot-2, a strong season against Big Ten competition could garner attention from NBA scouts.

Sayon Keita, North Carolina

Listed at 7-feet tall, the UNC big man is originally from Mali, but has spent the past two seasons playing for FC Barcelona in Spain.

In the EuroLeague, Keita played alongside former NBA players Willy Hernangomez and Tomas Satoransky, averaging 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds while shooting 58.3% from the field in 8.7 minutes per game across six contests.

Keita also appeared in seven games for FC Barcelona in Liga ACB, Spain's top professional basketball league.

While the five-star recruit's international stats aren't eye-popping, the 18-year-old has a reported 7-foot-5 wingspan and could turn heads as a freshman.

Alexandros Samodurov, North Carolina

Like Bagayoko, Samodurov also declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, but withdrew his name.

Listed at 6-foot-11, the Greek big man averaged 2.6 points per game in the EuroLeague this season playing for Panathinaikos, one of the top teams in Europe that features former NBA players like Omer Yurtseven, Kenneth Faried, Richaun Holmes, Cedi Osman and Juancho Hernangomez.

Luigi Suigo, Villanova

Perhaps the most likely 2027 NBA Draft pick on this list, Suigo also declared for the 2026 draft but opted to play college basketball instead.

Suigo had entered first-round conversations, and could find himself in a similar position after a year at Villanova.

An Italian-born prospect who played with Mega Superbet in the Adriatic Basketball Association this season, Suigo measured 7-foot-2 and three quarters of an inch barefoot to go along with a 7-foot-5 and half an inch wingspan at the NBA Combine.

During the 2025-26 campaign, the 19-year-old averaged 8.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 56.4% from the field and 26.7% from 3-point range in 18 minutes per game across 16 contests.

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