Clippers Draft Keaton Wagler At No. 5

Wagler, 19, is coming off a sensational freshman season that saw him lead Illinois to a 28-9 record and their first Final Four appearance since 2005. He averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 37 games while shooting 44.5% from the field and 39.7% from three-point range.

The Shawnee, Kansas, native received the Jerry West Award as the best guard in college basketball and was selected as a second-team All-American. He was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned first-team all-conference honors. Wagler helped lead the Fighting Illini to a spot in the Final Four and had 20 points and eight rebounds in that semifinal loss to UConn.

A lack of length and athleticism is the only real cause for concern with Wagler, who didn’t record a single dunk with Illinois. But the 6’6″ combo guard showed off strong play-making and shooting during his first and only college season and can operate on or off the ball, making him a good fit alongside a wide range of backcourt players.

The last point is a salient one for the Clippers, who have a small point guard with defensive concerns in two-time All-Star Darius Garland. Los Angeles traded for Garland in February in the move that sent James Harden to Cleveland.

Wagler was the most unexpected of all the projected lottery picks before his freshman season began, ranking outside ESPN’s top 100 prospects in the 2025 high school class. His rise up draft boards was rapid, and he continued to gain more attention as the season wore on.

The Clippers are in an unusual position at the moment, as their longtime franchise player, Kawhi Leonard, is entering the final year of his contract and has been the subject of trade speculation. Leonard turns 35 at the end of June, whereas Wagler is 19 and Garland is 26. Owner Steve Ballmer is said to be opposed to a deal, however.

L.A. and Leonard are also the subjects of an ongoing league investigation into whether the team used a no-show endorsement job through a now-defunct “green banking” company to circumvent the salary cap to pay Leonard. Commissioner Adam Silver suggested the investigation was nearing its end at the NBA Finals, but an announcement has yet to occur.