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SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - JUNE 5: Aiden Tobiason #25 of the Syracuse Orange during a basketball practice at the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center on June 5, 2026 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Todd F. Michalek/Syracuse Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)
The 2026 NBA Draft is this week, and there’s one streak Syracuse Orange basketball fans expect to stay intact after it concludes.
Elijah Hughes, who was picked in 2020, is the last player to go from Syracuse and be selected in the draft. Hughes went high in the second round at No. 39 overall. As for the Orange’s last first-round selection, that would be Tyler Lydon (No. 24) back in 2017.
With that in mind, who are the candidates on the Orange’s 2026-27 roster who could buck the trend?
The first of them is a new addition to the team who has already participated in the pre-draft process: Aiden Tobiason.
Tobiason, who transferred to the Orange this spring after two years with Temple, was one of 44 players invited to the 2026 NBA G League Combine. On paper, there’s plenty to like with Tobiason. Broadly speaking, Tobiason’s best attribute is his potential to become a modern-day NBA point guard, regardless of his eventual role.
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First, there are the measurements.
He’s 6-5, 200 lbs., and reportedly has an over seven-foot wingspan. In a league that’s becoming more physical and teams relying on more versatile players, Tobiason appears to fit the mold.
There’s also the vision of what Tobiason could be in a best-case scenario: a three-level scorer who can also hold up defensively at either guard spot.
Of any 2026-27 Orange player, Tobiason’s draft stock definitely hinges the most on the upcoming season.
He’s coming off a career year, when he averaged 15.3 points per game in 2025-26. That’s more than triple what Tobiason had in his first year with the Owls (4.8 PPG).
The sophomore campaign was also mostly efficient, considering the volume and offensive responsibility. He shot 48% from the field overall on 10.4 attempts per game (second in attempts and makes for 2025-26 Owls). Tobiason is also a career 79.4% from the foul line, and there are at least signs of life with the three-ball: 33.8% on 4.3 attempts per game in 2025-26, nearly 36% on 3.2 attempts per game after two collegiate seasons.
For Tobiason to realistically be selected, he’ll have to show more as a playmaker (career 1.5 APG), and scouts will certainly be tracking if the scoring output and efficiency are similar in 2026-27 as they were in 2025-26, going from the American to the ACC.
As for other candidates, Sadiq White Jr. is next in line solely because of potential and the constant need in the NBA for two-way wings.
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White, who was Syracuse’s highest-rated recruit from its 2025 class, played sparingly (just 15.1 MPG) in his first year. That said, a larger role could see his numbers, impact, and stock all blossom.
The counting stats from year one didn’t fully jump out (6.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 0.4 APG). That said, White’s per 40 minutes stats are intriguing to look at from 2025-26: 16.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game with 55/37/51 shooting splits. White’s size (6-9) and general athletic ability have always been constant when he’s taken the court. Now in a likely starting role, it’s about turning that into production.
It’s unlikely White is an option for 2027, but if there’s either improvement from the three-point line or something else flashy on offense manifests, there’s a decent case teams could view White favorably come draft time.
For now, Tobiason and White have the best odds and potential to hear their names called on draft night.
Some other last-minute thoughts: If Gavin Doty explodes on the scene coming from Siena, becomes Syracuse’s best scorer in 26-27, and significantly improves his volume, maybe he could be a second-round selection in ‘27. Kiyan Anthony has the pedigree but will he take a big enough step forward this season to draw attention?
Of Syracuse’s 2026 freshman class, no one for now stands out as a “one and done,” but Slovenian wing Mark Morano Mahmutovič and center Abdramane Siby will be players to monitor based on international scout evaluations.
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