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Jul. 3—CHAMPAIGN — A cottage industry, housed inside Ubben Basketball Complex, has developed in Champaign. A pathway created for big guards with a killer jump shot and a diverse skill set with no glaring holes.
It took some time to develop.
Players like Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. helped establish the framework for success.
Then came Kasparas Jakucionis, Will Riley and Keaton Wagler.
The Illinois men's basketball program hadn't produced a single one-and-done first-round pick in its existence before Jakucionis turned a standout single season with the Illini into becoming the No. 20 overall pick of the 2025 NBA draft. Riley was taken immediately after. Then Wagler outdid them both, going from Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a consensus Second Team All-American to the fifth pick of the 2026 draft.
"We're selling it," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. "I think it's part of the enticement of people wanting to come here along with sellout crowds and facilities and style of play is our development piece. It is about the process. There's no shortcuts, and it's not easy. It's an understanding of what it takes to be at the next level and continue to work. It's been proven."
That process was what helped draw Wagler to Champaign.
Wagler wasn't a highly sought after recruit. Minnesota was his only other power-conference offer even after leading Shawnee Mission Northwest to a pair of high school state championships in Kansas and leaving the Sunflower State as a two-time player of the year.
The recruiting pitch from Underwood and the Illinois staff was rooted in development. Development that was expected to take a little time, of course, before the 6-foot-6 guard turned into one of the best players in the Big Ten like he did last season.
"We were extremely excited when he picked Illinois," said Logan Wagler, Keaton's dad. "It speaks to how we felt about the coaches and the culture there. For us, it was really awesome to think no matter how the basketball went, Keaton was going to be treated really well.
"We also knew it was an environment he could really get a lot better and thrive. It checked every box for mom and dad, and I think it checked a lot of boxes for how he played and how he fit."
They call it the "Illini process" inside the walls of Ubben. Wagler might have had skills and traits other coaching staffs didn't see during the recruiting process, but they were forged into greater strengths during his short 10 months with the Illini.
The strength gains that came with arriving in Champaign at 168 pounds and getting drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers at 192. The way how he operated in ball screens was fine-tuned in an Illinois offense that looked to leverage his ability.
A change that included time with strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher, assistant coach Zach Hamer, who also holds the title of director of player development, and the rest of the staff.
"Certainly everyone missed on him in terms of the recruit, but I don't think he went from being the 250th best player in his class to getting drafted fifth without the 'Illini process,'" Fletcher said. "Obviously, what he did was spectacular, but I think what sets him apart and I hope it starts to tell our story in terms of the 'Illini process,' was the functionality of who he became.
"His game got better throughout the entirety of the season. He became a better defender. He became a better finisher around the rim. It's a byproduct of what we do."
Wagler is just the most glaring example about the type of investment Illinois has made in development. The Illini staff also helped develop Ben Humrichous the past two years into a more well-rounded player with an NBA Summer League opportunity this month with the Brooklyn Nets and worked with Kylan Boswell to get the Champaign native his own shot in the league with the Charlotte Hornets.
Former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie asked fans to "Trust the Process" more than a decade ago. Results were mixed, and the 76ers are on their fifth full-time GM since Hinkie was fired in 2016.
Underwood has fared better with the "Illini process."
"There's people here who are invested in helping you succeed," the Illinois coach said. "That's not just Fletch. That's Zach. That's all of our coaches on the court helping guys get better — putting them in situations to be successful so ultimately we can be successful as a team. I think we're a process-oriented program. We want to fall in love with the process. We're about the process. Outcomes will be outcomes, but as long as you follow the process, you're going to have more points than the other team more often than not."
Continue reading...
It took some time to develop.
Players like Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. helped establish the framework for success.
Then came Kasparas Jakucionis, Will Riley and Keaton Wagler.
The Illinois men's basketball program hadn't produced a single one-and-done first-round pick in its existence before Jakucionis turned a standout single season with the Illini into becoming the No. 20 overall pick of the 2025 NBA draft. Riley was taken immediately after. Then Wagler outdid them both, going from Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a consensus Second Team All-American to the fifth pick of the 2026 draft.
"We're selling it," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. "I think it's part of the enticement of people wanting to come here along with sellout crowds and facilities and style of play is our development piece. It is about the process. There's no shortcuts, and it's not easy. It's an understanding of what it takes to be at the next level and continue to work. It's been proven."
That process was what helped draw Wagler to Champaign.
Wagler wasn't a highly sought after recruit. Minnesota was his only other power-conference offer even after leading Shawnee Mission Northwest to a pair of high school state championships in Kansas and leaving the Sunflower State as a two-time player of the year.
The recruiting pitch from Underwood and the Illinois staff was rooted in development. Development that was expected to take a little time, of course, before the 6-foot-6 guard turned into one of the best players in the Big Ten like he did last season.
"We were extremely excited when he picked Illinois," said Logan Wagler, Keaton's dad. "It speaks to how we felt about the coaches and the culture there. For us, it was really awesome to think no matter how the basketball went, Keaton was going to be treated really well.
"We also knew it was an environment he could really get a lot better and thrive. It checked every box for mom and dad, and I think it checked a lot of boxes for how he played and how he fit."
They call it the "Illini process" inside the walls of Ubben. Wagler might have had skills and traits other coaching staffs didn't see during the recruiting process, but they were forged into greater strengths during his short 10 months with the Illini.
The strength gains that came with arriving in Champaign at 168 pounds and getting drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers at 192. The way how he operated in ball screens was fine-tuned in an Illinois offense that looked to leverage his ability.
A change that included time with strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher, assistant coach Zach Hamer, who also holds the title of director of player development, and the rest of the staff.
"Certainly everyone missed on him in terms of the recruit, but I don't think he went from being the 250th best player in his class to getting drafted fifth without the 'Illini process,'" Fletcher said. "Obviously, what he did was spectacular, but I think what sets him apart and I hope it starts to tell our story in terms of the 'Illini process,' was the functionality of who he became.
"His game got better throughout the entirety of the season. He became a better defender. He became a better finisher around the rim. It's a byproduct of what we do."
Wagler is just the most glaring example about the type of investment Illinois has made in development. The Illini staff also helped develop Ben Humrichous the past two years into a more well-rounded player with an NBA Summer League opportunity this month with the Brooklyn Nets and worked with Kylan Boswell to get the Champaign native his own shot in the league with the Charlotte Hornets.
Former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie asked fans to "Trust the Process" more than a decade ago. Results were mixed, and the 76ers are on their fifth full-time GM since Hinkie was fired in 2016.
Underwood has fared better with the "Illini process."
"There's people here who are invested in helping you succeed," the Illinois coach said. "That's not just Fletch. That's Zach. That's all of our coaches on the court helping guys get better — putting them in situations to be successful so ultimately we can be successful as a team. I think we're a process-oriented program. We want to fall in love with the process. We're about the process. Outcomes will be outcomes, but as long as you follow the process, you're going to have more points than the other team more often than not."
Continue reading...
