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The 2027 NBA Draft class is officially off and running, with collegiate and international players having kicked off their respective seasons.
Per usual, the Thursday-night college basketball slate saw dozens of prospects take the hardwood, with several seeing standout performances.
Here were some of the top outings from 2027 prospects in Thursday’s slate of games:
After a so-so scoring game in his collegiate debut, projected top-five pick Caleb Holt was stellar in the follow-up, going for 21 points on highly effective 8-for-13 shooting.
Holt stuffed the stat sheet, adding eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and even getting to the line for six free throws. He was efficient, fine on defense and even moved the ball well in helping other Arizona players get hot.
The lone downside to Holt’s night was the lack of 3-pointers, something to minter as he makes his way through his freshman season.
Another standout freshman, Illinois guard Quentin Coleman was by no means bad in his debut, but took things up a notch in Game 2. He started the game and scored 19 points, missing only one shot from the field.
All in all, Coleman would shoot 8-for-9, adding three rebounds, two assists to two turnovers, and one steal. He punctured the Penn defense early and often, driving the ball continually and pressing the issue.
He, too, failed to hit a 3-pointer in the game, though he should be looked at as a fine shooting prospect.
The Wildcats lost their debut versus UCLA, but bounced back with a 20-point win versus Cal Poly. Center Motiejus Krivas, one of the NBA Draft class’s top returnees, was a large reason for that.
Krivas scored a game-high 30 points, shooting 10-for-13 overall. He tacked on eight rebounds, two blocks and a steal and assist apiece.
Krivas has been a known factor on the interior through his collegiate career, but showed a side he rarely has in the past Thursday with his volume scoring. If he can keep it up, his stock is likely to rise high.
Duke’s Patrick Ngongba II is another returning frontcourt star who could see a major boost this year, especially if he can replicate his own Thursday-night performance.
Ngongba was a force in the Blue Devils’ win over Coastal, going for a game-high 28 points on 10-for-13 shooting, including nine rebounds, one assist and one block.
One notable difference was Ngongba’s ability to shoot from distance, as he hit two of his three 3-point attempts. The NBA is in constant search of floor-stretching in modern era, and Ngongba’s ability to do is sure to be monitored by league scouts and decision-makers.