The 2026 NBA Draft has concluded, and attention quickly turns to the next class with ESPN releasing its latest 2027 NBA mock draft.
Interest in this summer’s draft for Florida fans fizzled out following the NBA Draft Combine, as the Gators returned their core three when Rueben Chinyelu withdrew from the draft and elected to return to Gainesville. With another national title contender on paper and key players expected to boost their draft stock over the next year, Todd Golden’s team is once again well represented in ESPN’s early projections for the 2027 NBA Draft.
Here’s where the Gators land in the latest mock.
Thomas Haugh first appears in ESPN’s early projections, selected with the seventh pick by the Memphis Grizzlies. His size, versatility, and motor, coupled with his 17-point per game average, are what made him a projected lottery pick in this year’s draft. If Haugh can continue to produce for the Gators, he will have a spot in next year’s lottery
Alex Condon makes the top 20 of this projection, landing at No. 17. Condon was the first of the three to return to the Gators following the team’s second-round loss to Iowa. Condon is coming off his best season yet, averaging 17 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
After participating in this year’s NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Chinyelu withdrew his name from the draft by the deadline, choosing to run it back with Haugh and Condon. He was projected to be a second-round draft selection had he stayed in the draft, despite possessing high-value defensive tools, standing 6 feet 9 inches and having a 7-foot-7-inch wingspan.
Early mock drafts are far from final; if the trio can build on last year’s success, the Gators could once again find themselves competing for a national championship, while being firmly on the NBA’s radar.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Where Florida basketball’s big three lands in ESPN’s latest mock draft
Reporting by Michael Trim Jr, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Michael Trim Jr, Gators Wire | USA TODAY Network
