Illinois star Wagler declares for NBA draft

Illinois guard Keaton Wagler has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, his agent told ESPN's Shams Charania and Jeremy Woo

Wagler helped lead the Illini to a Final Four appearance and was named the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year for the 2025-26 season.

The 19-year-old broke the program's freshman scoring record with 663 points during his maiden campaign in Champaign. Wagler earned several accolades after the regular season and was named to the All-Big Ten first-team and a consensus second-team All-American.

Wagler leaves Illinois after not being ranked within the top 100 high school prospects in the 2025 recruiting class. The Shawnee, Kansas native is projected to be a lottery pick in June.

Wagler averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists during his stint with the Illini.