The Brooklyn Nets have the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and while that means they won’t be able to select a player like BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, they’ll still be able to take a talented player. Brooklyn is still in the process of collecting as much talent as possible in the early stages of its rebuild and it seems like they’re closely monitoring a sharpshooter.
“Wagler’s positional size, versatility and unique trajectory have continued to set him apart as a prospect worth investing in, with teams including the LA Clippers and Brooklyn Nets closely studying his case at No. 5 and No. 6 and his draft range unlikely to stretch far beyond those teams,” ESPN’s Jeremy Woo in his big board wrote when discussing Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. Wagler seems to be one of the players in the second tier of the draft.
“Although Wagler doesn’t have elite burst or explosion, his uncanny ability to process the floor and knack for changing speeds and attacking angles give him real upside as a tall on-ball playmaker, an archetype that’s not easy to find and differentiates him from the other lottery guards,” Woo continued. “He shoots well enough to play either guard spot and has the size and intangibles to improve defensively over time.”
With the No. 6 pick, the Nets will likely be looking at some of the best guards in the draft with players like Wagler, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., and Louisville’ Mikel Brown Jr. in that range. Brooklyn has recently been linked to players like Brown and Michigan center Aday Mara as the organization is looking for as much upside as possible, but they may have to trade up if they’re going to be in a position to take Wagler.
Wagler, 19, is coming off a season in which he catapulted himself into the Lottery when many draft scouts/pundits assumed that he wouldn’t be close to that outcome. In 37 games, Wagler averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 44.5% from the field and 39.7% from behind the three-point line for the Fighting Illini so it makes sense why the Nets would be closely studying him.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets closely studying Illinois’ Keaton Wagler in 2026 NBA Draft
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
