Keaton Wagler reflects on Illini basketball journey with Stephen A Smith

Keaton Wagler is less than a month away from hearing his name called in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Shawnee, Kansas native will be hearing NBA commissioner Adam Silver announce “Keaton Wagler, from the University of Illinois” as he makes his way from the Green room. It’s quite remarkable that Wagler is essentially a year removed from graduating high school and preparing to move into his dorm room on the Illinois campus. Prior to his parents dropping him off in Champaign, many were wondering whether Keaton would even play during the 2025-2026 season.

Now fast forward, and Keaton Wagler is doing an exclusive interview with the likes of national basketball personality, Stephen A Smith. Though Smith mispronounced Keaton Wagler’s name, he posed a few interesting questions.

Should players still play college basketball?

With the ever-changing NCAA tournament landscape, Keaton Wagler had this to say about his one-year experience at the University of Illinois

“It was an awesome experience. Nothing that I’ve ever experienced before. Every game was basically in front of a sold-out crowd. At home, it was 16000 fans, and on the roads it was hostile environments. Making the NCAA tournament was amazing, and being able to make it to the Final Four is not something a lot of people can say. It’s something you’ll never forget.

The Tyler Underwood offense

Illinois had one of the best offenses in the entire country throughout the entire season. The Tyler Underwood offense was the number one-ranked offense in the country per KenPom for a majority of the season. Wagler was the head of that snake, making key decisions throughout the entire game with the ball in his hands. As he jumps to the NBA, Wagler knows that he needs to be ready for a new role, but is confident in his ability to fit anywhere

“Playing at Illinois, we had a lot of spacing, and that’s what it is in the NBA. I think I can adapt to whether it’s a faster pace team or a slower pace team; I can adapt to whatever the team wants.

Wherever Keaton Wagler ends up, Illini fans will be tuning in ready to see him make his mark in the NBA.

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