1 week Ago
CHAMPAIGN — The early signing week delivered the first official Class of 2025 addition to the Illinois men's basketball program Thursday with the signing of Shawnee Mission Northwest (Kan.) guard Keaton Wagler. Wagler committed to Illinois in mid-September after taking an official visit to Champaign.
The 6-foot-6, four-star guard chose the Illini over the likes of Minnesota, Murray State, Southern Illinois and Colorado State. "Keaton is a young man who can play multiple positions on the perimeter and fits us with positional size, elite shooting ability, strong work ethic and a winner's mentality," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said in an official release. "He comes from a great basketball family, is a high IQ player and won a Kansas state championship — the first ever for his school.
Keaton has an extremely bright future ahead. We're excited that will be as a Fighting Illini." Wagler averaged 12.
5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists as a junior last season for Shawnee Mission Northwest.
He shot 52 percent from the field, 50 percent from there-point range and 80 percent at the free throw line, as the Cougars went 25-0 and won a KSHSAA Class 6A state championship. The future Illini was a First Team All-State pick by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association. “He lets you play free, but he’s also going to push you hard,” Wagler told The News-Gazette about his impression Underwood as a coach.
“I’m used to it. I’ve got two great coaches that push me hard all the time. I think I’ll be a great fit here.
“I feel like I fit their play style. They play fast. They play with space.
I think I do that well.” Illinois also has a commitment from four-star guard Brandon Lee out of The Patrick School (N.J.
). Wagler and Lee as a two-man class gives the Illini the No. 8 class in the Big Ten and No.
46 class nationally, per 247Sports' rankings..
