Top Illinois basketball recruiting target continues to rise in rankings

The recruiting front for the Illinois basketball program has been pretty quiet over the past few months.

At one time, we had two commitments for the 2025 class and the No. 1 class in the country. That all went away with reclassifications. The Illini are back on the horse and looking to add the first pledge for 2025, though.

A huge target for the Orange and Blue is Keaton Wagler. The 6-foot-6 guard out of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School in Kansas has been flying under the radar when it comes to national recruiting rankings.

On 247Sports, Wagler opened up with an 84 rating, which had him No. 211 in the class of 2025 back in January. As more players were evaluated, Wagler’s national ranking continued to drop. The floor for him was in July when he hit No. 298 in the nation.

Wagler impressed this past high school season, though. His team won the 6A Kansas State Championship, and he helped lead the team with 12.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He also knocked down his three-point attempts at a clip of 49.5%.

Over the past couple of months, Wagler started to get reevaluated. He was upgraded to a grade of 85 in late July. On September 3, he then earned an 87 grade and launched up to No. 211 in the class of 2025.

On Wednesday, Wagler had another upgrade on 247Sports. He went from an 87 grade to a 90 grade and four-star status. He was also bumped up to No. 150 in the class of 2025.

Illinois basketball needs to keep on Keaton Wagler, as every team in the country is about to be in his recruitment

Wagler seems to be a pretty special talent on both ends of the court. He is aggressive defensively and is willing to put in the work. Brad Underwood would love that.

I love Wagler’s offensive ability as well. He can score from all levels on the court. His three-point shooting stands out. When I watch him, his scoring ability and shooting remind me a lot of someone like Tyrese Haliburton.

I think this kid has a ton of potential and room to grow. Hopefully, Illinois can have a great visit this weekend and pull him in for the class of 2025.