The Future Has a Name: Keaton Wagler

“With the 5th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select Keaton Wagler!”

And just like that, the Clippers had their most promising piece of the future.

Wagler’s path to becoming the fifth pick is one of the more interesting stories in this draft class. Coming into the collegiate season, he was ranked as low as the 261st prospect in the country. A few months later, he had helped lead Illinois all the way to the Final Four and had played himself into the conversation as an undisputed top 10 pick.

At Illinois, Wagler averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 33.9 minutes per game. He shot 44.5% from the field, 39.7% from three on nearly six attempts per game, and 79.6% from the free throw line. Those numbers tell you a lot about the type of offensive player the Clippers were getting, but they still do not completely capture what made Wagler such an intriguing prospect.

To put it simply, the kid can shoot!

Wagler is one of the best, if not the best, shooters in this draft class. His combination of touch and footwork allows him to create offense in ways that make up for what he lacks athletically. He does not have the quickest first step or the most explosive burst, but his ability to change speeds, use his footwork, and get into his shot makes him incredibly difficult to completely take out of a game.

That lack of burst is also the biggest question surrounding his game.

The NBA is faster, more physical, and filled with some of the best athletes on the planet. Getting to the rim and creating separation against NBA defenders will be a much different challenge than it was in college. Wagler will have to prove that his athletic limitations will not prevent him from consistently getting where he wants to go.

The good news is that Wagler has plenty of ways to score.

He can shoot from deep, get downhill to the rim, knock down midrange shots, and create in a variety of different ways. He has a deep bag and a strong understanding of what he needs to do with the ball. His basketball IQ and feel might be just as important as his shooting. He knows how to find space, make reads, and play within an offense instead of relying entirely on physical tools.

That versatility is what makes me confident that he can find ways to score even when the athleticism of the NBA becomes a challenge.

Then came Summer League, and Wagler’s first game was far from what Clippers fans were hoping to see.

Wagler finished his first game with just 7 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal while shooting 1/7 from the field and 1/5 from three. He did knock down all four of his free throws, but he also had one turnover and five fouls in 27 minutes.

The numbers were not pretty, but the bigger concern was how he looked.

He lacked confidence. He looked hesitant with the ball and almost afraid to make a mistake. The player who had just been selected fifth overall did not look like the same confident scorer who had helped take Illinois to the Final Four.

Thankfully, that version of Wagler did not stick around.

Over his next three Summer League games, Wagler averaged 21.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks while shooting 42.0% from the field, 36.8% from three, and 81.8% from the free throw line, which was a lot closer to the Wagler that dominated at Illinois.

His confidence grew with every game. He became increasingly comfortable creating his own offense, attacking NBA-level defenders, and taking what the defense gave him. He started drawing multiple defenders when he drove and showed that he could make plays for his teammates while still getting his own shot going.

And one of the things that impressed me most was his defense.

Wagler was never known as a defensive stopper coming into the draft, but he was surprisingly active and scrappy on that end of the floor. He fought through plays, stayed involved, and showed a willingness to put in the work.

By the end of Summer League, the player who looked hesitant in his debut had started looking much more like the confident scorer the Clippers drafted fifth overall.

I am not going to overreact to four Summer League games. There is still a massive difference between Summer League and an NBA regular season. But Wagler showed me enough to feel very good about the pick. He is a strong scorer, has a large presence on the court, can create for himself and others, and showed more defensive activity than I expected.

If Jeff Van Gundy can continue developing that side of his game, there are a lot of things to like about our potential young star.

Wagler looked the part of a fifth overall pick.

Now comes the bigger question: What exactly will his role be during his rookie season?

The most obvious question is whether Wagler will start at shooting guard or begin his career as a highly skilled backup point guard.

I would not be shocked if the Clippers took a similar approach to what San Antonio did with Dylan Harper. Harper was clearly talented enough to start, but coming off the bench gave him stretches where he could be the main facilitator and have the ball in his hands. That could be exactly what the Clippers want to see from Wagler early in his career, giving him opportunities to run the offense, get comfortable as a primary ball handler, and develop his playmaking without immediately having to take on the responsibilities of a full time starter.

That possibility makes sense for both Wagler and Ty Lue, especially considering Lue’s tendencies.

Across the 164 regular season games the Clippers played during the 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons, at least one of Kris Dunn or Derrick Jones Jr. started in 153 of them. That is a pretty telling number. Ty Lue clearly values having a high-level defender in his starting lineup, and considering his tendency to bring rookies along slowly, I think the most likely scenario entering the season is that either Dunn or DJ starts at shooting guard.

But that does not mean Wagler will finish the season on the bench.

If Wagler gets off to a strong start, I could easily see him taking over the starting two spot by the middle or end of the season. He will have to earn it, but the opportunity should be there.

Personally, though, I would start him from day one.

The Clippers are building toward the future, and they are not entering this season as a true contender. If the goal is to see what this young core can become, there is real value in giving Wagler as many NBA reps as possible from the beginning.

There is another reason I would love to see him start.

Darius Garland.

Allowing Wagler to play a lot of his minutes alongside Garland could be incredibly beneficial for his development. Garland can handle the ball, create advantages, and draw defensive attention, which would give Wagler opportunities to find his shot without being the primary focus of every defense. At the same time, Wagler could develop his playmaking without having to be the team's sole initiator. Garland could open up a lot of Wagler's game.

Even if Wagler does not start immediately, I hope Ty Lue finds a way to have the two share the floor for significant stretches. The combination of Garland's ability to create and Wagler's shooting, scoring versatility, and feel could become one of the most exciting young combinations on this roster.

For now, though, there is nothing left to do but wait. After watching Wagler go from a player barely on the radar to the fifth pick, I cannot wait to see what he does with his opportunity in Los Angeles. The potential is enormous, and now it is time to see just how far Keaton Wagler can take it.