2 Barça youth players favored to be the number 1 in the 2028 NBA Draft
The American Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and the Serbian Nikola Kusturica, born in 2009, are the main candidates
The NBA is starting to look towards the future, and the Draft in June 2028 could have a strong blue-and-maroon accent. Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and Nikola Kusturica, two players trained in the Barça Basket academy, have made the leap to U.S. college basketball and are already among the top talents of their generation. Both could aspire to the top positions in the draft, with the possibility of even competing for the first and second spots.
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, candidate for the number one pick in the Draft
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje has become one of the major talents to emerge from the Barça Basket academy in recent years. His decision to join the NCAA for the 2026-27 season, especially in a program as prestigious as Duke, surprised many. He now faces two years of college basketball, although his projection already places him among the leading candidates to be selected first in the 2028 NBA Draft, even before making his debut.
Duke's coach, Jon Scheyer, recently highlighted the trend of young players spending two years in college before entering the Draft. “You’re going to see more young people staying two years before going to the Draft and arriving at NCAA at 17 years old,” he said while referring to Boumtje Boumtje, one of the great future prospects of American basketball.
The 2.18-meter tall, 113-kilogram center arrives at Duke after standing out with Barça Basket and becoming one of the biggest international sensations of the summer.
His performance was crucial in winning the Euroleague NextGen, where he averaged 19 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. Furthermore, he was named MVP of the tournament. Shortly after, he claimed the championship and MVP award again, this time with the United States at the FIBA U-17 World Cup.
His arrival at Duke brings together talent, size, and experience in a single project. All of this makes the blue-and-maroon academy player one of the most interesting names of a generation that is already beginning to think about the 2028 Draft.
Nikola Kusturica also aims for the top
Alongside Boumtje Boumtje is Nikola Kusturica, another player trained in the Barça Basket academy who aspires to occupy one of the top spots in the 2028 NBA Draft. The Serbian shooting guard has also decided to leave behind blue-and-maroon basketball to make the jump to the NCAA, although in his case, he will play for the UCLA Bruins.
For now, his stock is behind that of Boumtje Boumtje, but his projection also places him among the great future talents. Like the center, Kusturica will need to complete two college seasons before deciding whether to take the definitive step to the Draft.
The Serbian arrives at UCLA after a spectacular FIBA U-17 World Cup in 2026. Averaging 24.6 points per game, he established himself as one of the championship’s standout stars.
His addition is part of a new generation of Bruins with a significant European presence. However, coach Mick Cronin believes the current team is more experienced, athletic, and complete than the one three seasons ago, which already included five European players.
Despite his youth, Kusturica is one of the international talents that has generated the most expectations at UCLA and is poised for an immediate impact. His development over the next two years will be crucial to determine the extent of his candidacy for the number one spot in the 2028 Draft.
The NBA mock draft for 2028
Initial projections place the two Barça Basket academy graduates in the top positions of the 2028 Draft. Boumtje Boumtje appears at number one, and Kusturica at number two.
This is the provisional ranking of the top ten positions:
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje — Duke.
Nikola Kusturica — UCLA.
Jalen Davis — Bremerton HS.
Marcus Spears — Texas.
Nathan Soliman — JL Bourg.
CJ Rosser — Rocky Mountain HS.
Kager Knuppel — Duke.
Cayden Daughtry — Calvary Christian Academy.
Beckham Black — Duncanville HS.
Adan Diggs — Gilbert HS.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, 2 canteranos del Barça, favoritos al número 1 del Draft de la NBA 2028
