We are now a few days into the NBA Summer League main event, and Keaton Wagler is looking to wash out the bad taste in the mouth.
The first game we saw the former Illini guard was not good. He was still processing everything, and by the time the final buzzer sounded, Wagler finished with seven points, two rebounds, and shot 20% from three-point range.
What is refreshing is that Wagler knows that it is just one game, and he knows how to rebound from a bad outing. The kid is cool, calm, and collected.
There are going to be plenty of opportunities for Wagler to show his basketball worth, and one of those chances comes on Sunday night.
The Los Angeles Clippers play their second game of the NBA Summer League, and the opponent is the Utah Jazz.
Why is this such a big game? Well, Wagler went No. 5 overall, and he will be facing off against the No. 2 pick, Darryn Peterson.
Darryn Peterson (No. 2 pick) and Keaton Wagler (No. 5 pick) meet as the Jazz and Clippers clash in a top five pick showdown 🔥
— NBA (@NBA) July 12, 2026
NBA Summer League • 10:00pm/et, Prime pic.twitter.com/4SXQDx8nqW
Peterson looked solid in his first showing in the NBA Summer League, dropping 24 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
This is a matchup between two of the best young players in the NBA. One, Wagler, still needs to prove he can get the speed of the game down. The other, Peterson, needs to be more efficient and better with the basketball.
These two have a ton to still learn, but this is only their second game. It should be a great matchup.
Keaton Wagler needs to improve on a few things to take a step in the right direction
Listen, I realize it is just one game in the NBA Summer League that doesn’t matter. There are no ramifications for winning or losing in the NBA Summer League.
I will say, though, if a player can’t play against the NBA Summer League competition, they aren’t going to be ready for NBA action.
Wagler needs to show me a few things against Peterson on Sunday night. I need to see a more engaged Wagler. He needs to take control of the ball a little more and be the assist man we know he can be.
I would also like to see more shot creation out of Wagler. He did a lot of spot-up shooting in the first game. Having Wagler with the ball in his hands was always great at Illinois.
Lastly, I need Wagler to look quicker on defense. He is having some issues keeping up, and Peterson will come at him like a bulldog. Wagler put on 20 pounds, so let’s use that weight to our advantage.
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