UNC newcomers land on 2027 NBA draft radar

With the 2026 NBA Draft complete, North Carolina is already prominently featured in early 2027 projections.

In his first 2027 NBA mock draft for The Athletic, Sam Vecenie ranks new Tar Heel guard Matt Able at No. 26 overall and lists three other UNC players — incoming freshman center Sayon Keita, Virginia Tech transfer guard Neoklis Avdalas and international forward Alexandros Samodurov — among his early names to watch.

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Able, a Baltimore native who began his college career at NC State, tested the NBA Draft waters this spring while entering the transfer portal after his freshman season. Initially viewed as a mid–second-round pick, he boosted his stock with a strong showing at the NBA Draft Combine, climbing as high as No. 33 in ESPN’s mock draft before withdrawing and committing to North Carolina.

At NC State last season, Able came off the bench and averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 21.8 minutes over 34 games. He shot 41.6% from the field, 35.5% from 3-point range and 79.6% at the free-throw line. In 18 ACC games, he averaged 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 42.1% from the field, 37.3% from beyond the arc and 83.3% from the line.

Vecenie describes Able as “a big-time shooter and scorer” who can provide the offensive punch North Carolina needs “both as a shooter and as a driver attacking closeouts.” He also notes that Able took a step forward defensively this season, showing the ability to use his hands to create turnovers and disrupt actions on the perimeter.

Keita, a 7-footer from Bamako, Mali, who is arriving from FC Barcelona’s youth program, does not crack Vecenie’s projected first round but appears in his “other names to watch” section. Keita owns a 7-foot-7 wingspan and intriguing physical tools but is considered a long-term development piece.

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“Keita is a multi-year project as he fills out his frame,” Vecenie writes. “He has a ton of defensive tools in terms of mobility and length, but…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/unc-newcomers-land-2027-nba-180050980.html

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Publish date : 2026-06-30 18:00:00

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