Keaton Wagler’s favorite-player list says plenty about the way he sees the game. The No. 5 pick said Thursday that Paul George was the player he watched most early on, but as his game matured, his model shifted toward two guards who control tempo and create offense without forcing it.
“My favorite player to watch was Paul George but I think as I got older and I started to really focus and want to like model my game after someone I really watched a lot of SGA and Tyrese Haliburton,” Wagler said Thursday, July 9.
That blend helps explain why Wagler entered the league with a reputation for both scoring and versatility. At Illinois last season, the 19-year-old averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 44.5% from the field, 39.7% from three and 79.6% at the line in 37 games.
His Summer League debut against the Sacramento Kings showed some of that same profile, even in a loss. Wagler started for the Clippers and finished with seven points on 1-of-7 shooting, 1-of-5 from three and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line, adding two rebounds and one assist in 27 minutes as Los Angeles fell 91-85.
George gives Wagler the template of a big wing who can score from multiple levels and pressure defenses without needing a perfectly scripted possession. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton represent the next step: pace, manipulation, and the ability to make teammates easier to play with.
