Keaton Wagler went from a three-star recruit out of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School in Kansas to becoming a star at Illinois in his freshman season, winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Now he is set to make his NBA Summer League debut with the L.A. Clippers as their latest first-round draft pick.
Wagler isn't just some first-round draft pick; he was selected No. 5 overall by the Clippers, the highest since Deron Williams was selected No. 3 overall in the 2005 NBA Draft. When Wagler set foot on campus in Champaign, no one thought he was capable of being that high of a pick, except for his head coach, Brad Underwood.
Underwood has proved to have an eye for talent since taking over at Illinois, and Wagler is the perfect example of that. Now in at the next level, Wagler will see his first bit of action tonight as the NBA Summer League tips off with seven games, nearly every single one headlined by a top draft pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
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Wagler has yet to see the court in a Clippers uniform, and with the trade of All-Star Kawhi Leonard, it feels like the doors are open for Wagler to step in and make a real difference with this team. While this is just the summer league and the competition may not be as elite as the regular NBA season, this is a great way for Wagler and his fellow rookies to get their feet wet and show what they've got.
How to watch Keaton Wagler and the L.A. Clippers take on Darius Acuff Jr. and the Sacramento Kings
Wagler isn't the only big name from the draft playing in this game, as he will face off with fellow freshman star, former Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., who was selected two picks later at No. 7 by the Sacramento Kings.
This will be the first time Wagler and Acuff face off as they missed each other on the court in their single-season college careers. Now, they could become quite familiar with each other as both play in California. This will be a very interesting matchup as Wagler has yet to make his debut, but Acuff has already seen the court in the Salt Lake City Summer League.
L.A. Clippers vs. Sacramentio Kings NBA Summer League: Date, time, location, and TV info
- Date: Thursday, July 9
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
- TV info: ESPN
Wagler will get his chance to be in the spotlight yet again in his NBA career after leading Illinois to its first Final Four since 2005. While his entire game can't be judged on this one game, Illinois fans have to be buzzing about what they will get to see from their former star tonight.
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