The Los Angeles Clippers might have found their next franchise superstar after picking Illinois' Keaton Wagler with the fifth overall pick in the draft. Regarded by many scouts as one of the best scoring guards, Wagler enters the league after an outstanding freshman year, where he helped the Illinois Fighting Illini reach the Final Four.
Despite his stellar freshman season, Wagler wasn't really seen as one of the best prospects in college, let alone a future fifth-round pick. While many of his peers come from major basketball hotbeds, his path began in rural Kansas, where he developed his game.
The dramatic change in scenery from the humble life in Kansas to the bright lights of Los Angeles would be a hard transition for anyone. Fortunately for the Clippers, Wagler is already preparing for it as he begins the next chapter of his career.
Before emerging as one of the best players in college, Wagler grew up in Kansas in a close-knit family. His parents, Logan and Jennifer Wagler, raised him in a small community where he would develop his game.
At Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Wagler developed his signature scoring abilities and feel for the game, but never really stood out in his early years before showing out during his senior season after growing from 5'5" in his freshman year to 6'6". It was enough for him to be tapped by Illinois as a four-star recruit.
It was in Illinois where he truly began to take the nation by storm, emerging as the Fighting Illini's best player in a high-touted freshman class that also featured Andrej Stojakovic, Kylan Boswell and others.
His shining moment came on the road against Purdue when he scored 46 points, the most scored in a historic day where fellow freshmen AJ Dybantsa and Kingston Flemings also tallied 40 points. The Illinois guard's stock rose rapidly, culminating in a season average of 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
Now, after growing up in a small community in Kansas, Wagler is expected to play for the Clippers in one of the league's largest media markets. For a rookie who spent much of his life living a relatively quiet life, the transition is a complete 180, but he is more than willing to take it on to make his mark in the league.
"I kind of always lived in like a smaller area, but LA, it's huge," Wagler told Basketball Network. "There's gonna be a lot of people, so definitely just getting used to that and just having a lot of people around me."
While Wagler's off-court adjustment will naturally take time, the Clippers still expect him to show at least glimpses of what he did in college. His versatility and shooting ability are his greatest strengths, but he has also demonstrated himself to be a solid passer and defender.
That skill set could complement the Clippers' existing backcourt rotation of Darius Garland and Kris Dunn. After all, the league today has leaned more on oversized wings who can get open and shoot while also defending every position.
His outside shooting is expected to earn him immediate opportunities. Still, it will be his capacity and willingness to be active on both ends, as well as his ability to make the right reads on passing lanes, that can make him a regular in a Clippers lineup that also features Kawhi Leonard, John Collins and Bennedict Mathurin.
Adjusting to life in one of the world's biggest and most temptation-filled cities may take time, but Wasgler has already demonstrated throughout his basketball career that he can stand out no matter what. Everyone will have high expectations for him, but if he continues to do what he has always done, which is to persevere and succeed, Los Angeles might have a new superstar.
Related: No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler explains what he can bring to the Clippers
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
