How Illinois' Keaton Wagler has risen from freshman unknown to superstar
Here's a look at how Illinois freshman star Keaton Wagler went from an underrated recruit to leading the Fighting Illini to the Men's NCAA Tournament:
From completely unrecognized to a superstar. That has been the story of Illinois men's basketball freshman guard Keaton Wagler, who went from an under-recruited 3-star prospect to the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and likely NBA draft lottery pick. REQUIRED READING: March Madness potential breakout players, stars in 2026 NCAA tournament Wagler has led veteran-laden, European-influenced Illinois to the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament as a No.
3 seed in the South Region. He's averaging a team-leading 17. 9 points, breaking the freshman record previously held by Cory Bradford (1998-99).
He also leads the team with 4. 4 assists per game and is tied for third on the team with 4. 8 rebounds per game.
Perhaps most notably, he leads the team in minutes played, with 33. 7 per game. His immediate success has surprised even the people who have been in his corner since Day 1, such as his former high school coach David Birch at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School (Shawnee, Kansas).
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