ESPN's early 2027 NBA Mock Draft has the Hawks landing Baskonia point guard Stefan Joksimović at No. 5 via the Pelicans. Breaking down the pick.
The Atlanta Hawks recently drafted Kingston Flemings with the 8th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. You know what that means...
It's time to start thinking about the next draft.
For some fans, that's outlandish. For draft nerds, it's perfectly reasonable. The draft cycle operates on a 365-day-a-year basis.
Even ESPN is getting in on the fun. They've already published their 2027 NBA Mock Draft. They've got the Hawks taking another playmaker. Some will argue that they've got enough of those, but others will see this prospect's potential and refuse to pass on it.
That would be Baskonia's Stefan Joksimović. For the uninitiated, he's a 6-foot-7 playmaker from Slovenia.
Sound familiar?
Yes, Joksimović is garnering Luka Dončić comparisons. They're not entirely superficial. Joksimović is a similarly creative ball-handler and passer.
However, he's arguably a more impressive run-and-jump athlete than his superstar countryman, but the favorable comparisons end there. Dončić has made a living in the NBA with his strength and low center of gravity. Joksimović will have to bulk up to reach even comparable heights in the NBA.
For now, that's not a fair bar. Joksimović is a 6-foot-7 playmaker who's mostly been efficient from three-point range. It's difficult to look at his stats, since he's already a professional in Europe and playing time is understandably scarce for the 17-year-old, but he's flashed star upside.
Is he the right prospect for the Hawks?
Hawks Should Gamble on Upside
Let it be said that the Hawks are landing the fifth pick in this mock draft, by way of the New Orleans Pelicans. On their own merit, they wouldn't even be in a position to land a player like Joksimović.
With a high lottery pick, drafting for fit is always a questionable choice. If the Hawks are so lucky as to land this high a pick, they should take whoever they think is the best prospect on the board.
Besides, this team is flush with talent. Whoever they take will be competing with talented professionals for their spot. Wings will have particular trouble cracking Atlanta's rotation.
As of now, there's not a big man who'd be a viable selection in this draft at this high a spot. That could change. By the time the 2027 Draft comes around, guys like Cameron Williams, Luigi Suigo, or Sayon Keita could have shot up mock drafts.
After all, it's the beginning of the cycle.
