Lawrence Frank is confident it was the right move.
The Los Angeles Clippers came into Tuesday's draft knowing they needed to get younger and more talented after a rough 2025-26 season.
They finished 42-40 and ninth in the Western Conference before getting bounced in the play-in tournament, ending a year that started 6-21 and required a historic run just to get back above .500.
So when they were on the clock at number 5, the Clippers went with Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler without looking back.
Frank Makes His Case
After the selection was made, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank did not hold back about why the Clippers were locked in on Wagler throughout the process.
"The reason we picked Keaton [Wagler] ... It's about when we get to being back to contender, we really feel he's going to be the best player with the most impact of the group," Frank said.
That group of guard prospects was deep.
Mikel Brown Jr. went No. 6 to the Brooklyn Nets, Darius Acuff Jr. went No. 7 to the Sacramento Kings, and Kingston Flemings landed at No. 8 with the Atlanta Hawks.
All four were considered tight on talent, but the Clippers felt Wagler separated himself because of his size and his shooting.
At 6-foot-6, Wagler is the tallest of the bunch and the best fit next to a smaller, ball-dominant guard like Darius Garland, who averaged 19.9 points and 6.4 assists in 19 games after being acquired from Cleveland at the trade deadline.
How Wagler Fits in Los Angeles
Frank also pushed back on concerns about Wagler's lack of elite athleticism.
He said that functional athleticism matters more than raw explosiveness because Wagler can get to all of his spots on the floor and punish every mistake the defense makes.
That kind of feel for the game was on full display at Illinois, where Wagler averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 39.7 percent from three on nearly six attempts per game and led the Illini to their first Final Four since 2005.
He won the Jerry West Award and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
The fit next to Garland is really what sold the front office.
Unlike the other guards in this range, Wagler does not need the ball in his hands to make an impact and can space the floor as a catch-and-shoot threat while also being able to create off the bounce when needed.
He joins a Los Angeles Clippers roster anchored by Kawhi Leonard, who posted a career-high 27.9 points per game this past season to go with 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 65 games.
With Leonard, Garland, Derrick Jones Jr., and Kris Dunn already in the fold, Wagler will not be asked to carry a heavy load right away and can develop at his own pace.
Frank made it clear that the Clippers know they are not contenders right now.
But when they get back to that level, they believe Wagler will be a big reason why.
