Why draft Illinois' Keaton Wagler? The likely lottery pick says he'll bring versatility to the NBA.

Keaton Wagler took a moment during the NBA draft combine to reflect on where he was a year ago.

He probably was getting ready for a high school graduation party, he told a crowd of basketball reporters. Probably feeling nervous about heading to Illinois and competing for a spot on the team.

What would the 6-foot-6 guard have said then about the chance he would find himself at Wintrust Arena in May 2026, showing NBA teams why they should pick him in next month's draft?

"Definitely super, super low," Wagler said. "It was definitely a crazy year, unexpected for sure. It just goes to show how hard I worked this year and is a tribute to the coaching staff and teammates for allowing me to showcase my talent and put a lot of trust in me."

Wagler's one-year ascent from underrecruited high schooler from Shawnee, Kan., to Illinois starter to potential top-five NBA draft pick has been surprising for everyone. But that doesn't mean he's unsure if he belongs.

Wagler said he has been able to forge this path because of the work he put in and the confidence he had all season "knowing I can play against anyone in the world." He showed that swagger many times during an All-America season in which he averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists to lead Illinois to the Final Four.

Now he's waiting to see which NBA team agrees.

The consensus among most draft analysts is that four players will be at the top of the draft: BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson.

After that, it could be Wagler's time. Both ESPN and The Athletic project Wagler to go to the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 5 pick. He heads a handful of guards in the second wave of the first round, along with Houston's Kingston Flemings, Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr. and Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr.

Wagler was asked a couple of times what makes him a good pick among those options and what will translate to the NBA. He started with his positional size, vision, decision-making and playmaking ability.

"I'm super versatile, being able to play multiple positions, not just point guard or shooting guard but being able to play on or off the ball," he said. "And also being able to play with other really good players is a skill I have, knowing when it's my time and when it's someone else's time."

Some of Wagler's coaches speculated that college teams missed on recruiting him out of high school because they thought his build was too slim and didn't think he was strong enough. Illinois was confident in helping him improve his strength.

Wagler, who said he models his game after NBA stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton, said he hears the questions about his athleticism, too, after an Illinois season in which he didn't dunk once.

"I've heard it my whole life, that I'm not the most athletic, not the fastest," Wagler said. "But all last year I showed that you don't have to be the most athletic to score the ball or be a really good player. That's what I did. I just find different ways to use my body even though I'm not the strongest. Being the aggressor, using my change of pace and getting into the lane."

Wagler, 19, has big fans among his teammates who were with him at the combine.

Illinois wing Andrej Stojaković said he was "so proud" and said Wagler "deserves everything that is coming toward him."

Veteran guard Kylan Boswell was among the first in Champaign last summer to declare that Wagler would be an NBA player. He said he had that certainty after playing with other NBA players during his first three college seasons, including Kasparas Jakučionis and Will Riley in 2024-25.

Then he watched Wagler consistently prove him right throughout the season.

Wagler turned in massive performances, such as a 46-point outing at Purdue and a 28-point showing at Nebraska in back-to-back weekend road wins. He led the Illini in the NCAA Tournament with 13 points and 12 rebounds in a gritty win over Houston and with 25 points in the Elite Eight against Iowa.

"Everything he has done that has come his way is from the work he's put in, the confidence he's had in himself, the trust he has had in himself and then leaning on us throughout the season," Boswell said. "His poise, his character, who he is as a person.

“I said it from the jump he would be one of the best freshmen to walk on campus. So for me it's not anything new. I knew this opportunity and the space he's in and has put himself was going to come to him eventually."

Wagler spent the weeks after Illinois' season ended training in Minneapolis. He focused on getting stronger and faster and putting on weight. He also worked on finding new ways to finish around the rim, especially over length.

His goal while meeting and working out with teams at the combine and beyond was to be himself, not to try to fit in or stand out. The advice he received from former Illini players who went through the process was to have fun, make connections and not put pressure on himself.

As Wagler prepares for his next step, he said he looks fondly on his short time at Illinois. He said it was "definitely hard" to leave the Illini, even though everyone agreed it was the best move for him.

"(Going to Illinois) was definitely the best decision I've made in my basketball career so far," he said. "It's awesome to see how well it worked out, seeing that most people thought that my first year I probably wouldn't even play.

“Going in there to prove myself and them giving me a lot of trust and being comfortable with me being the one to make plays and have the ball in my hand, even though we had other really good players they could have (gone) to."

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 6:24 AM.