The Illinois Fighting Illini made it to the Final Four last season on the strength of their strong 1-2 lead guard punch of Kylan Boswell and Keaton Wagler.

Boswell and Wagler led the Fighting Illini in assists per game with over seven combined, now both are eager to start their NBA careers with the Hornets and Clippers, respectively. 

Boswell, who went undrafted, signed a two-way deal with Charlotte this past June and is excited for the season to start judging by a post he made on Wednesday. 

He also revealed an injury he's been dealing with ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season and Hornets training camp. 

Boswell shared that he has been dealing with a knee injury at Hornets Media Day that isn't serious. 

"I had a scope surgery for my knee, nothing serious, timeline is less than a month, it depends on how my body reacts and all that," Boswell said.

He added that he has been watching Hornets veterans to determine how best to rehab his injury, which has been helpful, while praising the Hornets' training staff. 

The Hornets traded for former Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Rob Dillingham this offseason, sending veteran guard Buddy Hield in the deal. 

They waived Dillingham earlier this week, opening up a roster spot that the ex-Fighting Illini guard could potentially fill. 

"New Beginnings," Boswell wrote in an X post Wednesday along with pictures of himself in a Hornets jersey, signaling a new era of his career. 

Boswell was impressive in Summer League, knocking down three-pointers at a high rate while earning his first start against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4 of the short season. 

His best performance came as a starter with 11 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one steal in 25 minutes including 3-of-5 three-point shooting. Boswell finished Summer League 5-of-10 from beyond the arc and showed the versatility that made him one of Underwood's favorite players in Champaign. 

Boswell has a unique build for the NBA at a shade under 6-foot-2 and 226 pounds (NBA Combine measurements) which gives him the bulk to shield off smaller guards on drives to the basket and to finish around the rim. 

He said that life in the NBA has been a rollercoaster since signing with the Hornets but he's eager to get going again. 

"Since the beginning of the Summer I've been all over the place, it's been a little rollercoaster for me having this knee surgery and everything," Boswell said. "I feel more comfortable in general so far for me, it's been a great experience." 

Boswell was also asked about his Samoan heritage on Media Day. He is one of the NBA's few players of that distinction which has given him lots of attention on social media. 

"Samoans have no problem making their voice known social media-wise," Boswell said. "There are a lot of Samoans on social media overall, I just try my best to represent us the best way I can."