Bruce Branch, Caleb Holt's Top Potential 2027 Landing Spots After 2026 NBA Draft
With the first round of the 2026 NBA draft now in the books, the attention shifts to what should be a stacked class of 2027.
Two incoming freshmen are sure to be at the top of teams' draft boards if they pan out as expected. Bruce Branch, a BYU commit, and Caleb Holt, an Arizona commit, have already gotten plenty of draft attention as they prepare for their first college seasons.
Here's a look at some top landing spots for both star prospects.
Bruce Branch
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Branch is considered to be the No. 5 overall player in the class of 2026 by 247Sports' composite rankings. At 6'7", 190 pounds, Branch has the frame of an NBA player and will almost certainly add some muscle when he gets to Arizona.
Brooklyn Nets
It's hard to pinpoint who will have a lottery pick this time next year, but it's safe to assume the Nets will be drafting early, barring a complete turnaround in 2026-27.
Brooklyn is a bit guard-heavy after selecting multiple in 2025, so it could benefit from adding some talent to the wing, especially with Michael Porter Jr.'s name constantly in trade rumors.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets may be on the come-up after a solid season in 2025-26, but they're still armed with plenty of future picks, and one of those selections could be used on Branch.
While Brandon Miller appears to be Charlotte's long-term option at small forward, Branch could be a solid backup to him as the Hornets continue their rebuild.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies will have a plethora of picks in 2027, assuming they hold on to them, so they have the chance to add some young talent.
Memphis has plenty of areas that need to be addressed, but adding some depth at the forward position could go a long way as the Grizzlies look to get back to being a playoff contender.
Caleb Holt
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Holt, a shooting guard from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is considered to be the No. 2 overall prospect in the class of 2026 by 247Sports' composite rankings.
While he still has plenty left to prove, he's already popping up in some mock drafts as a top-five pick.
Chicago Bulls
It appears the Bulls are finally ready to commit to a rebuild after their fire sale at the trade deadline, which means they'll likely be in tanking mode this season.
The Bulls currently have some depth at shooting guard with Tre Jones, Collin Sexton and Anfernee Simons in the mix, but it's fair to assume Chicago will have traded some of those players by the time next year's draft rolls around.
If Holt is as good a prospect as he appears to be, he could be the type of player that helps jumpstart a rebuild.
Miami Heat
The Heat are a tricky team to judge since they don't quite have the talent to be a contender, but it's hard to imagine a Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra-led team folding over and tanking.
If Miami decides to aim for the lottery in 2026, Holt could be the player to target.
The Heat have a solid shooting guard in Tyler Herro, but the depth ends there. Miami excels at developing second-round picks, but adding a player like Holt could give the Heat someone ready to contribute immediately.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings' lineup for most of the 2025-26 season consisted of players over the age of 30, which isn't exactly ideal for a team trying to build for the future.
One of those players is the 31-year-old Zach LaVine, who played just 39 games last year. LaVine doesn't need replacing just yet, but it's not a bad idea for the Kings to at least start thinking about who their future shooting guard will be.
Holt could be the answer if the Kings end up high enough in the draft to land him.
