Luigi Suigo’s NBA Draft Stock Is Rising on Elite Size and Three-Point Shooting Flashes

While everyone debated who goes first, the entire top four quietly built cases strong enough to make that debate irrelevant. But down the 2026 NBA Draft big board, a different kind of movement is happening. Luigi Suigo, the 7-foot-3 center from KK Mega Basket, has climbed from an afterthought into late first-round and early second-round projections over the past month. What started as curiosity around his size has evolved into genuine front office interest, fueled by his three-point shooting flashes against professional competition and a sudden wave of high-major college programs trying to pull him away from the draft entirely.

What Changed: The Three-Point Game and College Pursuit

The inflection point came in late March when Suigo went 3-for-3 from three-point range in a 23-point performance against Crvena Zvezda in ABA League play. That single game reframed how evaluators viewed him. Instead of a traditional rim-running project big, he became a modern stretch five with legitimate floor-spacing potential. The performance arrived at the exact moment NBA teams were finalizing their pre-draft workout lists, and Suigo’s name started appearing in mock drafts where it hadn’t been before.

Then college programs entered the picture. UNC contacted Suigo on May 4th and 5th, joining Villanova and Illinois, who had already extended scholarship offers. Purdue and Indiana are tracking him closely. Jonathan Givony reported via SI.com that Suigo is being ” heavily pursued” by high-major programs. This isn’t typical late-season recruiting buzz. These are schools that believe one year of development could turn a second-round pick into something more valuable.

The timeline matters here. Suigo declared for the 2026 NBA Draft but has until June 13th to withdraw and retain college eligibility. The fact that programs like UNC are pushing hard this late signals two things: they see upside the draft market hasn’t fully priced in yet, and they believe he’s genuinely weighing the college path as a way to boost his stock.

Why Evaluators Are Moving Him Up the Board

Suigo’s appeal starts with his physical profile. He stands between 7-foot-2 and 7-foot-3 with a 7-foot-4 to 7-foot-4¾ wingspan and weighs around 241 to 245 pounds. He’s averaging 8 to 9 points, 5.3 to 6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game on 56% shooting in the ABA League, one of the top professional circuits outside the NBA. Those aren’t overwhelming numbers, but the context matters. He’s doing it in 18 to 19 minutes per game against grown professionals, not college freshmen.

Front offices value two things above all else in modern bigs: mobility and shooting gravity. Suigo offers both. Cyro Asseo’s scouting report describes him as an “intriguing modern two-way big” with floor-spacing flashes and rim protection anchored by that 7-foot-4 wingspan. Ersin Demir compared his rim deterrence and lateral speed to Walker Kessler, noting that Suigo projects as an NBA Draft center who can function as a pick-and-roll hub. That’s a starting-caliber archetype in today’s league, even if the path to get there is longer than most.

The shooting is still raw. His free-throw percentage sits around 63%, and his three-point release is slow. But the willingness to take those shots, combined with the occasional breakout performance, gives teams something to develop. NBA Draft Room noted his “good touch mid-range and from three-point range” and called him a “high volume shooter” with solid scoring upside. That’s not typical scouting language for a 7-foot-3 center from Serbia.

There’s tension in how teams view his timeline. Some see him as a direct NBA stash who can pop in the G League and contribute as a backup five within two years. Others believe he needs a redshirt year or extended development before he’s physically ready to absorb contact from NBA centers. The fact that he’s being fouled frequently in the ABA League and gets pushed around in the post suggests the latter group has a point. But the upside is clear enough that teams in the high 30s are willing to bet on it.

Where Luigi Suigo’s Stock Lands Now

Suigo is currently projected as a late first-round to early second-round pick. ESPN’s mock draft has him at No. 36 to the Clippers. The Rookie Scale big board lists him at No. 46. Demir places him in the high 30s and expects G League teams to bite on his potential. That’s a significant rise from where he was viewed just two months ago, when he wasn’t appearing in most mainstream mocks at all.

The college recruiting complicates things. If Suigo withdraws from the 2026 NBA Draft by the June 13th deadline and commits to a program like UNC or Purdue, he could enter the 2027 draft as a more polished product with first-round upside. That’s the bet those programs are making. But if he stays in, teams picking in the late first or early second round are getting a 7-foot-3 shooter with professional experience and rare physical tools. That’s a profile worth taking a swing on in a draft class this deep.

The G League and NBA Combines from May 8th to May 17th will give teams a final look at his mobility, shooting mechanics, and how he measures against other international bigs. If he tests well athletically and shows improvement in his shooting form, the late first-round buzz becomes real. If not, he settles into the mid-second round as a long-term project. Either way, the trajectory is clear. Luigi Suigo is no longer an afterthought. He’s a name teams are circling, and the decision he makes over the next month will determine whether he’s a draft-night surprise or a future riser who took the college detour to maximize his value.

For the latest news, rankings, and analysis on every prospect, visit our 2026 NBA Draft hub — updated throughout the season.