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The storyline dominating Illinois basketball is the Balkan Five. Brad Underwood signed three players from that region to go with returner Tomislav Ivisic (Croatia) and added transfer Andrej Stojakovic, whose father, Peja, is one of the all-time greats from Serbia.

However, Underwood also might have landed one of the best under-the-radar recruits in the 2025 class in Keaton Wagler.

Wagler was only being recruited by mid-majors during the summer of 2024 before several high-majors entered the picture late after the grassroots season. Illinois beat out schools like Minnesota and Colorado State for Wagler, who grew up in the Kansas City metro area but was overlooked by the local schools.

A reason Wagler was not more highly recruited was that he did not participate in any of the shoe circuits. Instead, he stayed loyal to former Oklahoma State guard Victor Williams’ team (VWBA). In full disclosure, I’ve been interested in where Wagler ends up because he played for my high school, Shawnee Mission Northwest (Kan.). My oldest son was also in his graduating class, and I’ve been playing pickup ball with Wagler and his dad for a few years.

Wagler started high school as a small freshman, grew to 6-6 and became the best player in the state. He won back-to-back state titles — the first in school history — playing alongside 7-footer Ethan Taylor, who is ranked 23rd in the 2026 class. The Illinois staff has been excited to share how good he’s been this summer.

“Without trying to put a lot of pressure on him, (Wagler) was maybe better than what we expected,” Underwood said last week. “He’s as good a player as we’ve had as a freshman in his decision-making. There are a lot of guys who are playmakers, and he’s a good playmaker. Kasparas (Jakučionis) was an elite playmaker, but I think the ability in a ball screen to get below the free-throw line and make decisions is another art. He is very, very, very gifted in that area.

“He’s (Wagler) got a great finishing package for a freshman. Great size, obviously. But very impressed with his ability to make decisions below the free-throw line and that will bode well for him.”

Wagler fits the Illini system well because of his positional size — he’s 6-6 — and his ability to play out of the pick-and-roll. He never gets rushed and glides to his spots. He has a smooth off-the-dribble jumper and can play multiple positions depending on who he is playing with. The Illini return veteran guard Kylan Boswell and added Mihailo Petrovic, a 22-year-old point guard who was an MVP candidate in the Adriatic League. Wagler is a good enough shooter to be valuable off the ball.

His body was the biggest thing he needed to work on, and Underwood happily reported that he’d put on some weight. Wagler said he’s added 11-12 pounds.

Because of his talent, Underwood takes exception to labeling Wagler “a steal” or “a hidden gem.”

“I mean, he played with the second-best center in the country, according to all the geniuses, and all he did was win state championships,” Underwood said. “But it’s great for us. You can call him sneaking through, but I think it’s a slap in the face to the kid.

“He’s got a very, very high basketball IQ, and I always say this: people see what they want to see in players. I think he’s elite. I’m very much into recruiting guys who can process and play the game mentally.”

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6573873/2025/08/27/college-basketball-freshmen-to-watch-2025-26/?source=emp_shared_article