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University of Illinois Athletics

2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster

Courtney Bay / Illinois Athletics
Courtney Bay / Illinois Athletics
Courtney Bay / Illinois Athletics
Courtney Bay / Illinois Athletics
Courtney Bay / Illinois Athletics

23 Keaton Wagler

  • Class Freshman
  • Height 6-6
  • Weight 185
  • Major Kinesiology
  • Hometown Shawnee, Kan.
  • High School Shawnee Mission Northwest
  • Instagram k3aton_w
  • Twitter KeatonW34

Biography

2025-26 FRESHMAN

  • First-Team All-American by Bleacher Report
  • Second-Team All-American by The Sporting News, Associated Press, NABC, USBWA, and Field of 68
  • Wooden Award National Ballot
  • Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Finalist
  • Big Ten Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-Big Ten
  • NABC All-Great Lakes District First Team
  • Lute Olson Award Finalist
  • Kyle Macy Award Finalist
  • Naismith Trophy Late-Season Team
  • One of three NCAA freshmen averaging at least 17 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists
  • Second in the nation in offensive rating among players with at least 24% possessions used at 132.2
  • Fifth in the kenpom national player of the year standings, first among Big Ten players. 
  • Scoring average of 17.9 points is on pace to also break the Illini all-time freshman scoring average record set in 1993-94
  • Scored in double figures in each of the last 25 games, and 30 times on the season
  • Nine 20-point games, one away from the Illini freshman season record
  • National Player of the Week following record-setting 46-point performance in a win at No. 4 Purdue (Jan. 24)
  • Six-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Dec. 15, Jan. 5, Jan. 12, Jan. 26, Feb. 2, Feb. 16)
  • Started all 33 games
  • Leads the team in scoring (17.9 ppg) and assists (4.4 apg), while ranking third on the team in rebound (4.9 rpg). 
  • Team-leading 30 games in double-figures scoring with nine 20-point games.
  • Has netted 591 points entering the NCAA Tournament Second Round, shattering the Illinois freshman season scoring record of 494 points 
  • 18 points, seven rebounds and game-high seven assists in NCAA Tournament First Round win over Penn (3/19)
  • Team-high in points (19) and assists (8) in B1G Tournament vs. #23 Wisconsin (3/13)
  • 23 points (6-7 FT), four rebounds and two steals vs. #3 Michigan (2/27)
  • 19 points, career-high eight rebounds (six offensive), six assists and two blocks at UCLA (2/21)
  • 18 points, six rebounds, and career-high three steals in win vs. Indiana (2/16)
  • 34 points (5-10 3FGs) and seven assists vs. Wisconsin (2/10)
  • 16 points (10-12 FTs), six rebounds and three assists at #10 Michigan State (2/7)
  • 28 points (10-12 FT), five assists and game-high two steals in win at #5 Nebraska (2/1)
  • 22 points, five rebounds. two steals and eight assists in win vs. Washington (1/29)
  • Historic 46-point game, setting B1G freshman scoring record and most points ever in a top-10 road win, with Illinois record nine 3-pointers in win at #4 Purdue, the No. 2 scoring performance in Illini history and the Mackey Arena scoring record by visiting player (1/24)
  • 17 points (4-8 3FGs), four rebounds, five assists and two steals vs. Minnesota (1/17)
  • Team-high 22 points with five rebounds and three assists in win at Northwestern (1/14)
  • Game-high 19 points (4-7 3FG), five rebounds and three assists in win at #19 Iowa (1/11)
  • Game-high 17 points (6-7 FT), seven rebounds and three assists in win vs. Rutgers (1/8)
  • 16 points (7-8 FT), three boards and three assists in win vs. Penn State (1/3) at The Palestra
  • Second double-double with 11 points and career-high 10 assists vs. Southern (12/29)
  • Game-high 22 points (5-6 3FG), eight boards, two steals and two blocks in win vs. Missouri (12/22) 
  • First double-double with 19 points and a career-high 10 assists vs. #23 Nebraska (12/13) 
  • 23 points (3-5 3FG, 8-9 FT) and five assists in win at Ohio State (12/9), joining David Mirkovic (22 points) as first freshmen duo to score 20+ in a Big Ten debut since at least 2011
  • 16 points, career-high eight rebounds, and five assists in win vs. #13 Tennessee (12/6)
  • 19 points (7-10 FG), four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals vs. Long Island (11/22)
  • 19 points (9-11 FTs) with six rebounds and two assists vs. Colgate (11/14)
  • 22 points (7-9 FGs, 7-7 FTs) with seven rebounds and three assists vs. FGCU (11/7)
  • Started in collegiate debut and scored 18 points with five rebounds and four assists vs. Jackson State (11/3)

HIGH SCHOOL

  • Four-star recruit in the Class of 2025 ranked No. 143 overall as the No. 25 shooting guard in the nation and the No. 1 player in the state of Kansas by 247Sports
  • Attended Shawnee Mission Northwest High School in Shawnee, Kansas
  • Led the Cougars to back-to-back Kansas Class 6A State Championships – the first titles in program history – during his junior and senior seasons in 2024 and 2025
  • Combined for a 47-3 record over his final two season of high school and finished his career 80-16 as a starter to set the program record for wins
  • Recorded career totals of 1,105 points (11.8 ppg), 464 rebounds (4.9 rpg), 272 assists (2.9 apg) and 100 steals (1.1 spg), finishing No. 2 in school history in assists, No. 3 in steals, and No. 4 in both points and rebounds
  • As a senior, led the Cougars to a 22-3 record averaging 18.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 59% overall, 45% from 3-point range, and 83% from the free-throw line
  • Recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds in 2025 state final victory over Olathe North High
  • Posted a perfect 25-0 record as a junior, averaging 12.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists
  • Earned back-to-back Kansas Class 6A Player of the Year honors in 2024 and 2025
  • 2024-25 Kansas MaxPreps High School Basketball Player of the Year
  • 2025 Gatorade Kansas Player of the Year
  • 2025 Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-State First Team
  • 2025 Sunflower League Player of the Year
  • Played AAU basketball for coach Victor Williams and VWBA Elite

PERSONAL

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

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Career Statistics

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