The box score will not tell the whole story, but Keaton Wagler really stood out against Houston in last night's Sweet Sixteen victory. This has been a very strong freshman year for Wagler despite not being a top-100 recruit in his class. The Grizzlies could potentially draft a guard with their first pick this summer, and Keaton Wagler should firmly be in the conversation.
To be clear, Keaton Wagler is not a like-for-like replacement for Ja Morant's skill set. Any potential Ja Morant trade would be focusing on changing the balance of the current roster. The Grizzlies currently have a high probability of picking in the top 8, and the list of possible options continues to grow.
Last night, Illinois and Houston faced off in a Sweet Sixteen matchup featuring promising freshman guards Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings. While both make sense as potential draft targets, Wagler emerged victorious and boosted his case to be selected with the first of the Grizzlies' three selections this summer.
There are valid concerns about Keaton Wagler's burst and the fact that he needs to get stronger. Despite concerns about his future NBA projection and the physicality of a Houston Cougars matchup, Wagler still had an enormous impact on the victory for the Fighting Illini. Wagler battled some early struggles but showed the signs of being a winning player at the next level.
Wagler's resilience deserves more recognition
In the first half, Keaton Wagler played one of his worst halves the entire season. Wagler shot just 1 of 8 from the field and looked very uncomfortable offensively. Wagler's second half response should help validate him as a prospect. Wagler showed off the perimeter shooting he's displayed all season. Despite the athletic concerns, Wagler's tight handle allowed him to have just one turnover against a very physical Houston Cougars defense.
Wagler was very active on the glass, grabbing 12 total rebounds and securing some pivotal offensive rebounds throughout the game. Even though Wagler's defense has also raised some concerns in the NBA draft space, Wagler played an incredible game defensively. His active hands were clearly on display, recording a steal and two blocks in the process.
Wagler shot 4 of 14 overall but was 3 for 6 from behind the arc and finished the game with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists in 38 minutes. Against such a tough team defensively, it was an extremely encouraging display of resilience for Wagler even though the box score won't tell the whole story.
Wagler can definitely carve out NBA success
Most of the pre-draft evaluation will be centered around Wagler's frame and athleticism; however, it is clear that he is a very cerebral player offensively and still a very capable shot creator. If Wagler can build his frame and continue getting better finishing at the rim, it is very easy to see the vision of him being a high-level player in the NBA.
With the Grizzlies having just been eliminated from playoff contention, we are inching closer to Ja Morant's future being decided this summer. No matter how the offseason plays out in Memphis, Wagler could be a very logical piece at the beginning of this new rebuild.
Wagler will certainly be a polarizing prospect this cycle, but last night showed the winning player he could potentially be for the Grizzlies.