We have all been waiting for this night, as the former Illinois basketball legend Keaton Wagler has spread his wings and is ready for takeoff.
Speculation has run rampant over the past month or so on where the Illini great would land in the 2026 NBA Draft. I think nearly every team in the top 10 has been predicted to pick Wagler at some point. Well, we have now found out.
With pick No. 5 in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers have selected Wagler.
Finally, Wagler is now an NBA player. He has shown so much in the short time he was in Champaign, and his great play elevated him to this point.
No one thought Wagler would be on that stage, shaking hands with Adam Silver at this time last year. He was a 247Sports Composite Ranking three-star recruit who was the No. 261 player in the class of 2025. At this point, the biggest accomplishment was that Wagler won the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, which is a pretty big deal. The crazy part is, Illinois and Minnesota were his only two power-four offers.
What the Los Angeles Clippers are getting with the selection of Wagler is the best guard in the draft. I know, that sounds crazy, but Wagler has everything you want in a player.
There are roughly six big guards in the 2026 NBA Draft. The top dog is Darryn Peterson, but Wagler finished his freshman year averaging more rebounds, assists, fewer turnovers, and a better three-point shooting percentage than Peterson. His 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 39.7% shooting from three-point range were eye-popping.
Wagler isn’t a quitter, either. He isn’t someone who is going to think about himself first. He is a true team guy who will be great in the locker room and will develop quickly into a leader, as he did at Illinois.
Keaton Wagler is just tapping into his true potential, and he will blossom with the Los Angeles Clippers
Another crazy thing about Wagler is the fact that he was just in high school this time last year. He isn’t fully developed physically, and that leaves a ton of potential on the table.
A big aspect of his game is driving to the bucket. Wagler was able to take hits at the college level and get up, but he needs to get thicker because the NBA physicality is different than in college.
Once Wagler gets a little bigger and stronger, he is going to hit his stride. He will be able to hit 40% from three-point range while also being a menace around the hoop. The Los Angeles Clippers got the steal of the draft, and I can’t wait to see him at the next level.
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