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The New York Knicks are NBA Champions, but the work is about to begin in the race to determine a new winner in the summer of 2027.
The NBA Draft is around the corner, and three Arkansas basketball players should hear their names called next week (June 23-24) in Brooklyn. Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas are locks to go in the first round, while Trevon Brazile hopes to kickstart his professional career as a second-round pick.
Acuff and Brazile were always draft-bound, but Thomas was a candidate to return to the Razorbacks for the 2026-27 season. In the end, the freshman kept his name in the draft, while Billy Richmond III decided to come back to school for his junior year. Richmond will try to become a first-round pick for the 2027 draft.
John Calipari had a 17-year streak with a first-round draft pick end in 2025, but Acuff and Thomas will likely start another streak for the Hall of Fame coach in a few weeks.
Here are the latest mock draft predictions for the three Arkansas players.
The skinny: There's a consensus here that Acuff will call Brooklyn home to begin his NBA career. ESPN says the point guard's floor is No. 7 to the Sacramento Kings, and most mocks believe he will be the second point guard taken behind Illinois' Keaton Wagler. Acuff turned himself into a consensus lottery pick after beginning his freshman season projected toward the back-half of the first round. The SEC Player of the Year showed an elite ability to create offense for himself and his teammates. He averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 48.4% overall and 44% on 3-pointers. The only area holding Acuff back from being a potential No. 1 pick are some weaknesses on the defensive end and a lack of height compared to top prospects like AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, but his measurables at the NBA Combine helped calm some of those concerns.
The skinny: Most mocks believe Thomas will go with one of the final picks of the first round, but Yahoo! Sports sees a much earlier selection for the 6-foot-3 guard. Thomas' off-ball brilliance could fit well with a young Hornets' team that already has creators like LaMelo Ball and Kon Kneuppel. Thomas had an interesting decision this offseason after he declared for the draft but maintained his college eligibility. A return to Arkansas could have been parlayed into better position in the 2027 NBA Draft, but the pro buzz was undeniable after an impressive freshman campaign. The Pittsburgh native shot 41.6% on 3-pointers and averaged 15.6 points per game. He improved as a defender and took on a bigger role in shot creation for his teammates as the season wore on.
The skinny: CBS and The Ringer only have one-round mock drafts, but it is odd that ESPN dropped Brazile after previously having the 6-foot-10 forward going No. 45 to the Sacramento Kings in its previous projection. Two of these mocks have Brazile going to Chicago, which would be an exciting landing spot as the Bulls don't have a player like Brazile on their roster. At one point in his career, the Missouri transfer was viewed as a potential lottery pick. That hype faded, but he could still make an NBA roster next year with a rare combination of size, athleticism and 3-point shooting. Brazile is 6-foot-10 and stretched defenses by hitting 34.1% of his 3-pointers this season. He also has a library of highlight dunks, and Brazile averaged 13 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.5 steals for the Hogs.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: NBA mock draft projections for Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr., Meleek Thomas
Continue reading...
The NBA Draft is around the corner, and three Arkansas basketball players should hear their names called next week (June 23-24) in Brooklyn. Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas are locks to go in the first round, while Trevon Brazile hopes to kickstart his professional career as a second-round pick.
Acuff and Brazile were always draft-bound, but Thomas was a candidate to return to the Razorbacks for the 2026-27 season. In the end, the freshman kept his name in the draft, while Billy Richmond III decided to come back to school for his junior year. Richmond will try to become a first-round pick for the 2027 draft.
John Calipari had a 17-year streak with a first-round draft pick end in 2025, but Acuff and Thomas will likely start another streak for the Hall of Fame coach in a few weeks.
Here are the latest mock draft predictions for the three Arkansas players.
Arkansas Basketball NBA Mock Draft Projections
Darius Acuff Jr.
- ESPN: No. 6, Brooklyn Nets
- CBS Sports: No. 6, Brooklyn Nets
- Tankathon: No. 6, Brooklyn Nets
- The Ringer: No. 6, Brooklyn Nets
- Yahoo! Sports: No. 6, Brooklyn Nets
- The Athletic: No. 6, Brooklyn Nets
The skinny: There's a consensus here that Acuff will call Brooklyn home to begin his NBA career. ESPN says the point guard's floor is No. 7 to the Sacramento Kings, and most mocks believe he will be the second point guard taken behind Illinois' Keaton Wagler. Acuff turned himself into a consensus lottery pick after beginning his freshman season projected toward the back-half of the first round. The SEC Player of the Year showed an elite ability to create offense for himself and his teammates. He averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 48.4% overall and 44% on 3-pointers. The only area holding Acuff back from being a potential No. 1 pick are some weaknesses on the defensive end and a lack of height compared to top prospects like AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, but his measurables at the NBA Combine helped calm some of those concerns.
Meleek Thomas
- ESPN: No. 27, Boston Celtics
- CBS Sports: No. 29, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Tankathon: No. 28, Minnesota Timberwolves
- The Ringer: No. 30, Dallas Mavericks
- Yahoo! Sports: No. 18, Charlotte Hornets
- The Athletic: No. 29, Cleveland Cavalaiers
The skinny: Most mocks believe Thomas will go with one of the final picks of the first round, but Yahoo! Sports sees a much earlier selection for the 6-foot-3 guard. Thomas' off-ball brilliance could fit well with a young Hornets' team that already has creators like LaMelo Ball and Kon Kneuppel. Thomas had an interesting decision this offseason after he declared for the draft but maintained his college eligibility. A return to Arkansas could have been parlayed into better position in the 2027 NBA Draft, but the pro buzz was undeniable after an impressive freshman campaign. The Pittsburgh native shot 41.6% on 3-pointers and averaged 15.6 points per game. He improved as a defender and took on a bigger role in shot creation for his teammates as the season wore on.
Trevon Brazile
- ESPN: N/A
- CBS Sports: N/A
- Tankathon: No. 38, Chicago Bulls
- The Ringer: N/A
- Yahoo! Sports: No. 56, Chicago Bulls
- The Athletic: No. 41, Miami Heat
The skinny: CBS and The Ringer only have one-round mock drafts, but it is odd that ESPN dropped Brazile after previously having the 6-foot-10 forward going No. 45 to the Sacramento Kings in its previous projection. Two of these mocks have Brazile going to Chicago, which would be an exciting landing spot as the Bulls don't have a player like Brazile on their roster. At one point in his career, the Missouri transfer was viewed as a potential lottery pick. That hype faded, but he could still make an NBA roster next year with a rare combination of size, athleticism and 3-point shooting. Brazile is 6-foot-10 and stretched defenses by hitting 34.1% of his 3-pointers this season. He also has a library of highlight dunks, and Brazile averaged 13 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.5 steals for the Hogs.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: NBA mock draft projections for Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr., Meleek Thomas
Continue reading...
