Just over a year ago, not many people had heard of Keaton Wagler, but Illinois men's basketball head coach Brad Underwood saw the undeniable potential in a young basketball prospect out of Kansas.
Now, the country has taken notice after Wagler led the Fighting Illini to an appearance in the Final Four and turned himself into a household name.
His ascent to the top of the college basketball world included earning the attention of NBA franchises, and as the 2026 NBA Draft flew into focus, he quickly became one of the top prospects.
In Yahoo Sports' latest NBA Mock Draft, Wagler was projected as the No. 6 overall pick, a massive nod of recognition for the Illinois Fighting Illini's star point guard. However, while being a top-10 pick is an incredible accomplishment, the team with the No. 6 pick is far from an ideal franchise.
As the No. 6 overall pick, Wagler would go to the Brooklyn Nets, a team that hasn't been to the Playoffs since 2023 and has never won an NBA Championship.
Keaton Wagler projected to go to the Brooklyn Nets
Beyond their history of falling short of success, the Nets have had a miserable run in the last couple of seasons, going 20-62 overall this year.
Yes, you read that correctly, Brooklyn won less than 25 percent of its games during the 2025-26 season.
As a team, the Nets shot just 44.3 percent from the field, and barely made more than 75 percent of their free throws. They averaged 15 turnovers a game and committed 21.1 fouls on average. Brooklyn was repeatedly outrebounded and, clearly, outplayed by its opponents.
While a player like Wagler could undeniably help turn the franchise around, it would be far from an immediate fix, and the young guard could have at least a few miserable seasons on the team.
Wagler spent just one season with the Illini, but that's all he needed to prove his worth as a player, and to lead Illinois back to the Final Four for the first time since before he was even born.
During his one-and-done season, Wagler averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game. While he's obviously an elite on-court player, he has a surprising lack of conventional athleticism, never dunking the ball and clocking in at only 188 pounds despite standing at 6-foot-6.
The 2026 NBA Draft will begin at 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday, June 23. The second round will take place on the following evening. Both nights, the draft will be available on ESPN as it unfolds from the Barclays Center (the home court of none other than the Brooklyn Nets).
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