NBA draft: Clippers select Keaton Wagler at No. 5;

NEW YORK — After a three-day go to to L.A., Keaton Wagler discovered his new home.

The Clippers picked Wagner fifth total in the NBA draft Tuesday at Barclays Center, utilizing the franchise’s highest draft decide since 2009 on the previous Illinois guard. During a hectic draft course of in which some top gamers don’t communicate to the crew that in the end picks them, Wagler said the Clippers confirmed constant curiosity and communicated with him and his agent, giving him confidence he may hear his title called early during Tuesday’s loaded first spherical.

“I’m just super excited to get out there,” Wagler said. “They have a great front office and coaching staff and players, and I just can’t wait to get out there and get going.”

The 6-foot-6 guard was named Big Ten freshman of the 12 months after averaging 17.9 factors, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per sport. Under-recruited out of high college, the Kansas native held school provides from faculties including Oral Roberts, DePaul and Murray State before starring at Illinois.

When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver read Wagler’s title aloud, he hugged everybody at his desk, walked between two smoke towers and grabbed a Clippers hat with a bedazzled crew emblem before shaking Silver’s hand.

Wagler smiled in aid as he walked across the room, a welcome change after a nervy first 40 minutes of the draft. The 19-year-old dressed in a gentle grey go well with with a pastel orange neck tie anxiously bounced his legs after Silver announced to the group that the Washington Wizards had 5 minutes to make the first choice. Cameras have been poised at every aspect of AJ Dybantsa’s desk, where the Brigham Young ahead sat with his elbows resting on his knees and head bowed.

The No. 1 decide crossed himself when Silver said his title.

The main scorer in school basketball last 12 months led an NBA draft class that is regarded as one of the deepest in a era. Dybantsa was in a heated race against Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer to be the top decide as all three are projected to make instant impacts at the skilled stage.

Peterson of Kansas went second to the Utah Jazz while the Memphis Grizzlies picked Boozer third. Former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer proudly snapped a photograph of his son as Cameron walked across the stage toward Silver. Chicago chosen ahead Caleb Wilson fourth, finishing an elite quartet of gamers at the top of the draft.

After the top 4 picks, the draft was thought-about large open with a logjam of proficient guards. The Clippers, who added former All-Star Darius Garland last 12 months in a midseason commerce, had choices for a commerce at the coveted No. 5 spot.

Instead, Wagler can crew immediately with Garland to make a dynamic, younger backcourt for a franchise hoping to win its first playoff collection since 2021.

“I think I’m going to bring a lot of versatility on the floor and being able to play on and off the ball alongside Garland,” Wagler said. “When he has the ball in his hands, be ready to space and shoot the ball. When I have the ball in my hands, just being aggressive to make plays for myself and others.”

Wagler was the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year while main the Illini in scoring, assists and steals. He shot 39.7% from three-point vary.

“Keaton is a high-level shooter, ballhandler and passer with positional size,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a assertion. “He is a high-IQ player with a great feel who makes smart decisions and winning plays, whether he’s on offense, defense or the glass. He approaches the game the right way. He’s the kind of person we want to add to our organization: poised, resilient, competitive and consistent in everything he does.”

The Clippers also have the sixth (thirty sixth total) and twenty second (52nd total) picks of the second spherical, which begins Wednesday at 5 p.m. PDT.

Wagler is the franchise’s highest decide since the Clippers took Blake Griffin first total in 2009. Griffin’s arrival helped spark a turnaround for the long snake-bitten group as the Clippers began a 15-year streak of successful information two seasons after Griffin was drafted. The run is the longest lively streak of successful seasons in the NBA.

The strain of becoming a member of a veteran laden-team with championship aspirations doesn’t faze Wagler.

“Just stay true to myself,” he said. “Not put a lot of pressure on myself. Do what I’ve been doing throughout my whole life, just going out there and playing and playing free. When I do that, I feel like I’m at my best.”