Here are a few Kansas basketball players to watch for 2027 NBA Draft

LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball saw one player selected in this year’s NBA draft, as Darryn Peterson went to Utah with the No. 2 overall pick in the first round.

Peterson spent just this past season in college with the Jayhawks as a freshman guard. He became an All-Big 12 Conference second-team selection and made the all-freshman team. He averaged 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while dealing with various health issues, for a team that would go on to reach the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament and the round of 32 of the NCAA tournament.

So now the conversation shifts to what’s possible for KU players in the 2027 NBA Draft. Who’s likely to be selected? Is there anyone who can step up and have a breakout year that puts their name in contention, too?

Here’s a list of three Kansas players to watch out for:

Tyran Stokes is a 6-foot-7, 230-pound wing who’ll be a freshman this season for the Jayhawks. He arrives as the 247Sports No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2026 and is set to lead Kansas as it looks to compete both in the Big 12 and nationally. If KU reaches the second weekend of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2022, when it last won a national title, it’s likely Stokes had the kind of season that puts him in this conversation.

Taylen Kinney is a 6-foot-2 and 185-pound point guard who’ll be a freshman this season for the Jayhawks. He arrives as the No. 19 overall recruit in the class of 2026 and was a McDonald’s All-American alongside Stokes. He’s continued to build his profile ahead of his first game in a Kansas uniform, being selected for the 2026 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team.

Leroy Blyden Jr. is a 6-foot-1 and 170-pound guard who’ll be a sophomore this season for the Jayhawks. He arrives as a transfer from Toledo, where he was the Mid-American Conference’s freshman of the year this past season and a quality 3-point shooter. He’s already impressed KU coach Bill Self this offseason, and if he can maintain that positive trajectory, maybe he can propel himself into an NBA future sooner than some might have expected.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Here are a few Kansas basketball players to watch for 2027 NBA Draft