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May 13—I'm headed to Chicago this morning for the third day of the 2026 NBA Draft combine. All three Illinois guards currently in the draft — Keaton Wagler, Kylan Boswell and Andrej Stojakovic — will be available for interviews. Boswell will play in the second game of the day at Wintrust Arena.
It's not out of the question that all three Illini could be selected come June. Wagler is a projected lottery pick, Boswell currently has second-round draft stock and Stojakovic, who could return to Champaign for the 2026-27 season, is in a similar spot.
With the lottery complete Sunday, the draft order is set. Mock drafts have been updated. Here's a look at where Illinois' contingent might fall come those two days in June in New York:
Keaton Wagler
"This pick has been viewed by some teams as where the draft starts, with an array of talented guards expected to be available, presuming the consensus top four players come off the board first. Wagler's versatility makes him a very strong fit with the Clippers, who already have a true point guard in Darius Garland." — Jeremy Woo
"Many have Wagler higher on their boards than this (I'm one of them), but if the guard order shakes out this way, Dallas could be a good fit. The idea of pairing his fantastic positional size, elite shooting, and versatility with Cooper Flagg is something that I've been thinking about for quite some time." — J. Kyle Mann
Kylan Boswell
"Kylan Boswell still doesn't look like a reliable shooter, but he's been a threatening enough for a guard who shoots 61.0 percent inside the arc, makes smart decisions and adds a sense of leadership. He's been one of the nation's top-graded pick-and-roll ball-handlers throughout the season." — Jonathan Wasserman
Andrej Stojakovic
"Stojakovic is the son of three-time NBA All-Star and 2011 champion Peja Stojakovic, and he certainly has professional DNA with his slick footwork and feel for the game. But unlike his father, who had his best years in Sacramento, he shockingly has a clunky jumper that needs a lot of seasoning for him to thrive at the next level." — Kevin O'Connor
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It's not out of the question that all three Illini could be selected come June. Wagler is a projected lottery pick, Boswell currently has second-round draft stock and Stojakovic, who could return to Champaign for the 2026-27 season, is in a similar spot.
With the lottery complete Sunday, the draft order is set. Mock drafts have been updated. Here's a look at where Illinois' contingent might fall come those two days in June in New York:
Keaton Wagler
"This pick has been viewed by some teams as where the draft starts, with an array of talented guards expected to be available, presuming the consensus top four players come off the board first. Wagler's versatility makes him a very strong fit with the Clippers, who already have a true point guard in Darius Garland." — Jeremy Woo
"Many have Wagler higher on their boards than this (I'm one of them), but if the guard order shakes out this way, Dallas could be a good fit. The idea of pairing his fantastic positional size, elite shooting, and versatility with Cooper Flagg is something that I've been thinking about for quite some time." — J. Kyle Mann
Kylan Boswell
"Kylan Boswell still doesn't look like a reliable shooter, but he's been a threatening enough for a guard who shoots 61.0 percent inside the arc, makes smart decisions and adds a sense of leadership. He's been one of the nation's top-graded pick-and-roll ball-handlers throughout the season." — Jonathan Wasserman
Andrej Stojakovic
"Stojakovic is the son of three-time NBA All-Star and 2011 champion Peja Stojakovic, and he certainly has professional DNA with his slick footwork and feel for the game. But unlike his father, who had his best years in Sacramento, he shockingly has a clunky jumper that needs a lot of seasoning for him to thrive at the next level." — Kevin O'Connor
Continue reading...