Illinois true freshman guard Keaton Wagler has been one of the biggest surprise players in the Big Ten this season, and he continues to shoot up NBA Draft boards. He nearly committed to Minnesota as a high school recruit.
The Fighting Illini had a busy offseason, signing top players in the transfer portal such as Andrej Stojakovic and Zvonimir Ivisic. With veteran guard Kylan Boswell back for another season, nobody thought a true freshman would lead the team in scoring.
Hailing from the Shawnee, Kansas area, Wagler wasn’t even that highly touted of a high school prospect. Standing at 6-foot-6, the 247Sports Composite rated him the 261st-best player in the class of 2025, and the No. 4 player in Kansas. He has shattered those expectations through 13 games…