NBA Draft
“Keaton Wagler, PG/SG, Illinois
Mock draft projection: No. 5 to LA Clippers
Top 100: No. 5
High end: Slower-paced Tyrese Haliburton
Low end: Andrew Nembhard with less defense
Wagler fits a valuable NBA archetype as a bigger on-ball guard who relies on quick decision-making and his 3-point shot to open the floor for teammates and find pockets of space to attack downhill. Though some scouts see shades of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander when Wagler creatively uses angles and change of pace going downhill, the more realistic comparison is Haliburton, whose unselfishness helps create a winning offensive environment for everyone around him.
Haliburton plays at a more up-tempo pace than Wagler has shown. Wagler's relatively small sample of high-level basketball leaves room for growth, and he thinks quickly enough to operate in a more wide-open style, despite being slower for a guard. There are broad enough similarities here that offer multiple pathways for NBA success.
Scout's take: Wagler's game is tough to fit. Haliburton was mentioned multiple times as a potential higher-end outcome because of his unselfishness, positional size, ability to play on and off the ball, and to excel without elite athleticism.
Wagler was also compared to Josh Giddey, who shares a lot of those qualities but at a lower level. Though Giddey has steadily improved as a shooter -- hitting 37% from 3 in his past two seasons with the Chicago Bulls -- Wagler will walk into the NBA as a better shooter immediately, which should help his ultimate upside.-- Bontemps”