It's been a slow start for the Chicago Bulls, who have just one win through their first nine games and are riding a seven-game losing streak. They have faced a gauntlet to start, and the season is far from over, but it's understandable for fans to start looking toward the 2027 NBA draft as a better form of entertainment.

With college basketball kicking off, there's no better time for speculating on an event that is still seven months away, and thus some very early mock drafts have started to trickle out. In the latest edition from SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell, the Bulls are projected to take Illinois freshman guard Quentin Coleman with the third overall pick.

Just two games into his collegiate career, Coleman has been a rapid riser up the NBA draft boards. At 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds out of O'Fallon, IL, he began the summer in the 30-40 range of top 100 rankings. But Coleman came in at No. 6 in ESPN's latest ranking from November 5th as he continues to impress on the court for the No. 3 Illini.

Consensus has Coleman bunched in a trio of one-and-done guards that also includes Jordan Smith Jr. of Arkansas and Caleb Holt of Arizona. Coleman has quietly crept into this group while Smith Jr. and Holt have been long considered the best guards in the freshman class. Perhaps the meteoric rise of former Illinois guard and Clippers fifth overall pick Keaton Wagler has provided enough proof of concept for teams to believe that Coleman will quickly develop into a star under head coach Brad Underwood.

But Coleman, 18, already provides more athletic upside than Wagler did, which may inform his early ranking in the top three. Coleman is a natural scorer with incredible burst that lets him get to the rim with ease. He is also a willing passer that should continue to refine his playmaking skills playing alongside strong veteran shooters at Illinois.

There are still some questions surrounding his ability to create his own shot on the outside and ability to hold up defensively against bigger and more physical driving threats. But Coleman's frame should allow him to add some size to counteract this concern. He has already shown an ability to disrupt ballhandlers on the perimeter and is an excellent rebounder.

The Bulls, with several holes but a clear need at the guard position, make all the sense in the world as a fit for Coleman in the first round. There is still plenty of time for college players to separate themselves and for team's needs to become more apparent before the draft, but the Illinois native is certainly one to keep an eye on as the season rolls on.