As soon as Keaton Wagler set foot on campus in Champaign, he was ready to cement himself as a legend for the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Now, after leading the team to its first Final Four in 21 years, it seems like it will only take a year for him to go down in Illinois history.
While Wagler was an under-recruited and overlooked prospect coming out of high school just a year ago, he has grown into one of the best freshmen and overall great players in the game of college basketball.
With his astonishing success for the Illini, he has garnered a lot of attention at the next level, propelling himself up the mock draft boards for this year's NBA Draft, cementing his status as a one-and-done athlete.
FanSided 2026 NBA Mock Draft has Keaton Wagler in top 5
While most mock drafts still have the expected stars like Duke's Cameron Boozer, Kansas's Darryn Peterson, and BYU's AJ Dybantsa taking up the first few picks, Wagler has seen himself soar up the rankings.
In FanSided's latest mock draft by NBA expert Christopher Kline, Wagler found himself listed as the No. 5 overall pick, going to the Washington Wizards.
Wagler's elite performances in the Elite Eight and Sweet 16, as the Illini took down the Iowa Hawkeyes and Houston Cougars en route to the Final Four, cemented his place among the greats of this year's draft class.
Against Houston, Wagler recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, alongside three assists, two blocks, and one steal. Then, in the Elite Eight, he earned a jaw-dropping 25 points, three assists, two rebounds, and one steal to knock off the Hawkeyes.
While his unbelievable performances in the NCAA Tournament have helped lead the Fighting Illini through their run, they also mean that he is increasingly likely to leave Illinois after this season to take his talents to the next level.
Wagler has earned his place in the Illinois history books, but fans need to start preparing themselves to say goodbye to their now-beloved freshman star.