The 2027 NBA Draft, touted as the worst class in a generation, lacking in high-end talent, with no clear #1 pick—yadda yadda. I’m not buying it. Not because I disagree with a fair amount of the rational claims, as it is no secret that this class is a bit lighter at the top in comparison to those in recent memory. It’s because of an 18-year-old kid in the cold mountains of Provo, Utah, a freshman at Brigham Young University and the #1 prospect on my personal big board: Bruce Branch III.
The 6’8” point forward has earned and owned the top spot on my board for quite some time now and hasn’t given me much reason to think he will be vacating the spot anytime soon. I myself was a Branch skeptic for a period of time before doing a deep dive into his high school tape from his junior season at Prolific Prep. Note that I said “junior” as if you didn’t already know: Branch is a reclass, originally a part of the 2027 graduating class, only to skip a grade, punching above his weight in hopes of earning an earlier ticket to an NBA roster.
Whether or not that move will prove to be fruitful in the eyes of NBA decision-makers is yet to be seen, but for now, I don’t think he could have made a better career choice. But, of course, this is all pointless if I don’t back it up. So let’s do that.
What he’s shown
The ancillary skills are what really make my gears turn for Branch, but before I dive into any of that, I want to lay the groundwork for what is ultimately the most valuable thing in basketball: scoring. It doesn’t take an analytical or scouting savant to find out that Branch isn’t exactly the most well-rounded in this regard, but it is worth noting that, at worst, he has a strong foundation to build on. What I’ll note first is his scoring feel, a word that has been watered down but nonetheless is a good way of encapsulating what Branch is at the moment. His shooting percentages are far from there, something I’ll get back to later on. But Branch has a knack for finding his spot and playing within himself. Although he has some ugly misses, I rarely come away from a shot of his asking if it was forced or unnecessary, as most of the time, he had the right process.
