Illinois basketball: Ranking the Illini’s top 2027 NBA Draft Prospects

A year ago, Illinois basketball had something it hadn’t really had before. Keaton Wagler was just different.

The freshman guard was obviously talented. But he was also unusually polished, unusually poised and unusually comfortable controlling games against high-level competition. By the time Illinois reached the Final Four, it was becoming increasingly difficult to separate Wagler’s present impact from his future NBA potential.

Then he went fifth overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. That’s the obvious reminder of how quickly things can change in Champaign.

But what’s interesting about the 2026-27 Illinois roster is that Wagler’s departure doesn’t mean the Illini are suddenly short on NBA talent. If anything, this might be the most intriguing part of Brad Underwood’s roster: Illinois has multiple players who could have legitimate NBA futures, and they don’t all get there the same way.

The 2027 NBA Draft also could provide a favorable environment for Illinois’ prospects. Unlike the star-studded 2025 and 2026 classes, the 2027 class is widely viewed as a weaker and more wide-open group, with no clear-cut consensus No. 1 prospect at this point. 

The Illini return the core of last season’s Final Four team while adding a recruiting class headlined by Quentin Coleman and a transfer in Stefan Vaaks. The result is a roster that combines something Illinois hasn’t always had at the same time: proven college production and legitimate professional upside. And that creates a fun question heading into the season.

Which Illini actually have the most NBA upside?

There isn’t necessarily a simple answer.

Quentin Coleman Has the Highest Ceiling

Let’s start with the obvious wild card. Quentin Coleman hasn’t played a college basketball game yet. That’s important. There is no amount of recruiting hype, summer footage or NBA projection that can completely replace seeing a player handle the speed and physicality of major-conference basketball.

But there is a reason Coleman is already being discussed as a potential first-rounder. One early 2027 projection has him as high as No. 17 overall, while ESPN’s Jeremy Woo also included him among his projected selections. 

At 6-foot-4, Coleman has the positional size to play either guard spot, and his offensive package is exactly the kind of thing that gets NBA scouts interested. He can create his own shot, shoot from NBA range and operate as a primary ball-handler.

That’s the difference. Illinois has produced three one-and-done first-round picks over the past two drafts, and Coleman enters the program with a recruiting profile that was even stronger than those recent examples.

If he becomes what Illinois expects him to become, there’s little reason to think he can’t put himself into the first-round conversation. And if everything breaks right, Coleman has lottery-pick upside.

Stefan Vaaks Might Have the Safest NBA Skill Set

If Coleman has the highest ceiling, Vaaks might have the most obvious NBA archetype.

Size. Shooting. Playmaking. That’s a pretty good place to start.

The 6-foot-7 Estonian guard gives Underwood something NBA teams increasingly value: a big guard who doesn’t have to be put into one offensive box. Vaaks can initiate offense, play out of ball screens and operate as a catch-and-shoot threat. He averaged 15.8 points and 3.2 assists at Providence last season while earning Big East All-Freshman honors.  That’s significant because the NBA doesn’t have much use for players who can only do one thing.

Vaaks has the potential to be useful in multiple ways. The question is what happens on the other end. His shooting and playmaking already give him a foundation, but defensive consistency and rebounding will matter when NBA teams begin asking whether his offensive advantages can outweigh his weaknesses.

If those areas improve, Vaaks looks like a very logical first-round prospect. And unlike Coleman, he’ll have the benefit of already having played college basketball before NBA scouts have to make that decision.

Tomislav Ivisic Is the Intriguing Big

Then there’s Tomislav Ivisic.

The 7-foot-1 senior isn’t necessarily the flashiest player on the roster, but his skill set is one that NBA teams have spent years searching for in big men. He can score inside, make plays and stretch the floor.

The biggest question is consistency from the perimeter. That’s where the opportunity lies.

If Ivisic can become a more reliable 3-point shooter while showing NBA teams he can hold his own defensively, he could move from “interesting international-sized big” to legitimate 2nd round draft prospect.

Don’t Forget Zvonimir Ivisic

His twin brother might actually have the more intriguing defensive NBA trait.

Zvonimir Ivisic is 7-foot-2, giving him the kind of physical profile NBA scouts simply aren’t going to ignore. His rim protection has been a major part of his appeal, and his ability to stretch the floor adds another dimension to his game.

The question is the jumper. That’s important because the difference between a traditional 7-foot-2 center and a 7-foot-2 player who can protect the rim and consistently space the floor is enormous in today’s NBA.

If Ivisic can regain his shooting touch, his draft stock could move considerably. And that’s why he remains one of the more fascinating NBA evaluations on this roster.

David Mirkovic Could Make the Biggest Jump

Then there’s Mirkovic, perhaps the player whose NBA evaluation could change the most over the next nine months. The 6-foot-9 forward already has one of the most polished offensive games on the roster. He can shoot, rebound and make decisions with the ball in his hands. His combination of size and feel makes him a difficult matchup at the college level.

The question isn’t whether Mirkovic can play. It’s whether his athleticism and defensive mobility translate to the NBA. NBA teams can live with a player who isn’t an elite athlete if that player consistently makes the right decisions and provides enough offensive value. But Mirkovic will have to prove he can defend quicker players and function at an NBA pace.

If he does, his offensive skill set becomes considerably more valuable. And that’s why a strong sophomore season could dramatically change his draft stock.

Lucas Morillo Is the Long-Term Wild Card

And then there’s Morillo, who might be the easiest player on this roster to overlook when talking about NBA potential.

That’s mostly because he’s a freshman.

Morillo doesn’t have the college résumé of Stojakovic or Mirkovic, and he doesn’t have the physical novelty of the Ivisic twins. But he does have something NBA scouts value: size and versatility on the wing.

The 6-foot-7 freshman was a top-50 recruit in the 2026 class, and his combination of frame, skill and positional versatility gives him a pretty intriguing starting point.

He doesn’t have to become a star immediately for NBA scouts to take notice. If he can establish himself as a reliable shooter, defend multiple positions and show that he can make decisions with the ball, his stock could rise quickly.

And that’s the important part with Morillo.

He’s not necessarily an NBA prospect because of what he has already done.

He’s a potential NBA prospect because of what he could become.

A freshman wing with legitimate size who can shoot and defend is always going to get a look.

Andrej Stojakovic Has Something to Prove

Stojakovic might actually be the most fascinating NBA evaluation on the roster because we’ve already seen both sides of the argument. There are stretches where he looks like an NBA player. Then there are stretches where you understand why NBA scouts still have questions.

The 6-foot-7 wing has the physical tools, the ability to attack the rim and enough offensive versatility to make you wonder what happens if everything finally clicks at the same time. He averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds for Illinois last season and enters 2026-27 with another opportunity to strengthen his draft case. 

The biggest swing skill remains his outside shot. That’s also why this season is so important for him.

Stojakovic went through the NBA Draft process before ultimately returning to Illinois, giving himself another season to answer the questions NBA teams have about his game.

If the shooting becomes more consistent while he continues to improve defensively, his draft stock could move considerably.

And unlike some of the younger players on this roster, we already know Stojakovic can produce against high-level competition.

Now he needs to show NBA teams that the rest of his game can catch up to his physical tools.

The Bigger Picture

Some of these players have already demonstrated their value at the college level. Others still have major questions to answer. And some, like Coleman and Morillo, are still waiting to play their first meaningful college minutes.

That’s what makes this season so fascinating from an NBA perspective.

Illinois doesn’t have to manufacture professional prospects.

They’re already there.

Now the question is which ones take the next step.