Celtics Could Land Five-Star Forward With Major Upside Next Summer

The Boston Celtics are projected to hold a late first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, putting USC freshman forward Christian Collins in their potential range. ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Woo ranked Collins at No. 27 on his top-100 prospects board, matching the draft position Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected for Boston following an 8-2 start to their 2026-27 NBA season.

Collins, a 6-foot-9 five-star recruit, joined USC under head coach Eric Musselman but was sidelined to begin the season with an undisclosed injury. Evaluators have praised his dynamic scoring and guard skills at his size, making him a potential developmental target for Boston's future pipeline.