Bruce Branch III, who was considered one of the top college basketball prospects in the 2027 graduating class, has decided to reclassify to 2026, according to Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi of ESPN.
The move puts Branch, a standout at Prolific Prep in Florida, in contention to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft, the authors add, noting that the draft class has been viewed as lackluster compared to its 2026 counterparts.
“I believe in my ability. I am confident that I can do this,” Branch said. “I have been playing up my whole life. I am not going to let anyone outwork me. I remember when I was in the first grade playing against third graders. I got pushed down, and I got back up.”
Branch, who turned 17 in October, hasn’t made any official college visits yet, saying he plans to “take things one step at a time.” He’s expected to announce his choice of schools in the spring, and the authors note that Kentucky, Kansas, Louisville, USC, BYU, Arizona, Houston and Miami are considered to be among the top contenders.
Branch is 6’7″ with a 7’2″ wingspan, and Borzello and Biancardi describe him as possessing “NBA-level athleticism with his speed and explosiveness.” They state that he’ll be one of the top three-point shooters in his class and that he has a high release on his midrange shot that makes it difficult for opposing defenders to contest.
“I want to expand my opportunities,” Branch said in explaining why he opted to reclassify. “I know there are challenges with this decision. The mental side is as hard as the physical side.”
Branch displayed his skills during the summer at the Adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy, per Tobias Bass of The Athletic. Branch earned a spot on the All-Camp Team and received the Rising Star award while competing against some of the world’s best young talent, many of whom were two years older than him.
Bass talked to a couple of NBA scouts, who seem to support his decision to reclassify.
“This obviously was a strategic move in the planning for a while now,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “It’s straight out of the Cooper Flagg playbook. He’ll be super young, 19 years old for his entire rookie season. By moving up a year he’s legitimately a top-three prospect, and you can make the case for him being No. 1 overall. He’s a great kid off the court, a hybrid athlete with IQ, playmaking skills and will be a switchable defender.”