Keaton Wagler isn't worried.
Fifth-overall pick Keaton Wagler made his Summer League debut for the Los Angeles Clippers on July 9, touching the court in a Clippers uniform for the first time in any capacity, and the standout guard from Illinois' first go around wasn't exactly ideal.
Wagler struggled in 27 minutes against the Sacramento Kings putting seven points, two rebounds and one assist with one turnover while shooting just 1-7 from the field, that one shot being a three pointer.
Even for the most talented players coming out of college, the NBA, even the Summer League, is a big adjustment, if for no other reason than the fact that Summer League team's often have somewhat seasoned players who are accustomed to the pace of physicality that goes into a NBA game.
Making Adjustments
That's the issue that Wagler was confronted with in his first game and even though he struggled, he's not at all deterred by the performance and is simply leaving the game with the knowledge of what he needs to adjust to and what he has to do better moving forward.
“It was definitely super physical… That’s what we’re gonna take into the next game. Just the physicality piece. That’s something I have to be better at. Handling the pressure. But it’s the first game. We’re gonna be fine. I’m gonna be fine," Wagler said (via Joey Linn).
Even for someone picked as highly as Wagler was, it's natural for there to be a learning curve coming into the professional basketball world and even within the team itself, there needs to be time to build up chemistry and have the team adjust to the kind of play style that Wagler needs.
What Needs to Change?
He'll have to get used to the physicality, especially the more aggressive defenses and abundance of double-teams and half-court presses that are designed to stifle dynamic guards like him in particular.
He has the athleticism to compete with that physicality when he gets used to it and learns to adjust to it, both through more time on the court and with time spent studying film, and once those adjustments are made Wagler is likely to look more like the Clippers are expecting him to be by the start of the regular season.
The dynamic will also be different for Wagler when he's with the Clippers proper. While he's the primary target on the floor during Summer League, he'll be supported by a roster headlined by Darius Garland and other more experienced NBA players that will likely make his job easier.
All good things come with time and that's exactly what Wagler needs right now to get back to his impactful self.
