The Los Angeles Clippers hold the No. 5 overall pick, acquired from Indiana, and Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley projects them to select Illinois guard Keaton Wagler — a 6-foot-6 combo guard whose combination of off-ball shooting, playmaking feel, and size make him a natural complement to the Clippers’ backcourt infrastructure around Darius Garland.

Wagler’s rise was one of the great stories of the 2025-26 college season. He arrived at Illinois as a four-star recruit with no expectations of leaving after one year, but he orchestrated a high-powered Illini offense with a 46-point performance at Purdue — the most by a freshman in Big Ten history — before leading Illinois to an unexpected Final Four appearance. The process converted him from a prospect into a lottery lock, but he’s a quirky player: zero dunks logged in his entire college career, which speaks to his lack of traditional explosiveness and raises legitimate questions about how he’ll fare athletically in the NBA.

What Wagler does have is feel — elite processing speed, a quick decision-making loop, and the kind of shiftiness that keeps defenders perpetually uncomfortable rather than simply outrunning them. His ceiling, Buckley argues, is a perennial All-Star, a projection grounded in the idea that game IQ can substitute for athleticism at the highest level in the right system. The Clippers, who will be rebuilding around Garland’s creation after the Kawhi Leonard era ended, need exactly that kind of off-ball shooting anchor to give Garland breathing room.

The opportunity cost at No. 5 is Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr., who goes to Brooklyn at No. 6. Brown is a 6-foot-5 scoring guard with an unstoppable pull-up jumper when healthy, ambidextrous finishing ability, and rapid passing reads in tight windows. His ceiling is enormous — but so is his injury and inconsistency risk after a back injury derailed his freshman season at Louisville and ended it in February. Buckley notes that Brooklyn is making a high-risk, high-reward gamble on Brown; the Clippers, by taking Wagler, are opting for a safer floor with a similar long-term ceiling.

CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein and Tankathon both project Wagler to the Clippers at No. 5, reinforcing the fit argument. CBS Sports’ Cameron Salerno sends Michigan center Aday Mara to Los Angeles at this spot, reflecting the Clippers’ genuine interior need following Ivica Zubac’s departure. Gary Parrish sends Arkansas guard Darius Acuff to the Clippers at No. 5, while Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor projects Arizona’s Brayden Burries there — a 215-pound guard whose physical profile O’Connor notes is a specific fit for a Garland-led backcourt that needs a bigger, more physical complement. The divergence reflects real uncertainty about what the Clippers prioritize most: guard creation, perimeter size, or interior depth.

Wagler’s 6-foot-6 frame and off-ball shooting address the Clippers’ most critical need without forcing them to reach for a center before the board dictates it. His ability to co-exist with Garland — a smaller guard who thrives with off-ball weapons around him — makes him the clearest positional fit among the options projected here.

What Other Outlets Are Projecting

Outlet	Projected Player
Bleacher Report	Keaton Wagler, PG/SG, Illinois
CBS Sports	Keaton Wagler, PG, Illinois (Finkelstein)
Tankathon	Keaton Wagler, SG/PG, Illinois
Yahoo Sports	Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona

Drafting Wagler with the fifth pick is the right strategic call because it prioritizes high-floor shooting and creation over the boom-or-bust profiles available lower on the board. A rebuilding Clippers team needs certainty alongside Garland, and Wagler’s feel for the game, size, and emerging shot-making give them the perimeter identity they’ve been missing since trading their veteran core. His development as a playmaker and off-the-dribble scorer will determine the ceiling of both his career and the Clippers’ next competitive window — but the foundation is there from day one.