Keaton Wagler, LA Clippers, NBA Draft
Keaton Wagler, LA Clippers, NBA Draft
LAS VEGAS — When the LA Clippers were on the clock with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and the cameras began to surround him, Keaton Wagler knew his life was about to change.
Wagler, who grew up and went to high school in Shawnee, Kansas, a city with a population just under 70,000 people, is now about to take on second biggest city in the United States. Los Angeles, a city a population of over 3.4 million people, will present a much different lifestyle than Shawnee or Champaign and Urbana, where the University of Illinois is located.
In order to best prepare Keaton Wagler and members of his 2026 NBA Draft class, the NBA and NBPA hosted the first of multiple sessions of the Rookie Transition Program in Las Vegas ahead of NBA Summer League. It was there that players got to learn all about the best ways to manage finances and relationships as well as learning to work with referees and coaches.
And, of course, with how widespread and unavoidable gambling ads are in sports, players also learned about the impact of everything they say and do.
“I think the biggest thing that I got out of it is wanting to learn,” Keaton Wagler told ClutchPoints. “They've got a lot of different sections that they covered, a lot of topics. And I think the biggest takeaway is learning, wanting to be involved, and just embracing the things that they they have us do. It's all for an important reason. And I just think that if you really like pay attention, you just want to learn, no matter how your basketball career goes, like outside of basketball, like the aspects of being an NBA, will help a lot.”
The league has another couple of sessions for this rookie class scheduled in mid-August to help them with more aspects of NBA life.
Now a member of the LA Clippers, the 19-year old Wagler will have a big opportunity ahead of him for a franchise that is retooling and moving past the Kawhi Leonard era of basketball.
After an exclusive interview about being drafted back in June, Wagler recently sat down with ClutchPoints as Summer League came to a close to discuss his transition from college freshman to top-five NBA Draft pick with a key focus on how the NBA's Rookie Transition Program is helping him prepare for life as a professional.
Tomer Azarly: You guys took part in the Rookie Transition Program, set up and designed to help you guys prepare for life in the NBA. What did you get out of the first day and group of sessions in Las Vegas?
Keaton Wagler: I think the biggest thing that I got out of it is wanting to learn. They got a lot of different sections that they covered, a lot of topics. And I think the biggest takeaway is definitely learning and wanting to be involved, I would say, and just embracing the things that they they have us do. It's all for an important reason. And I just think that if you really like pay attention, you just want to learn, no matter how your basketball career goes, like outside of basketball, like the aspects of being an NBA, will be a lot.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the fifth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler after he was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers at Barclays Center.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Tomer Azarly: You guys had Chris Bosh in for the first session. How much are you just looking forward to learning from the volunteers and former vets.
Keaton Wagler: Yeah, it'll definitely be a very good experience. Having vets like that, and people who are in the Hall of Fame that want to teach you and you can learn a lot from them, how they went about their days in the NBA, how hard they had to work to win games. And, you know, Chris Bosh had talked to us, kind of before that, too, and said that, you know, his role has changed when he was in Miami with LeBron, and he turned more into a defensive role player versus a scorer. And I just think, you know, it's, it's being like the willing to help the team win no matter what your role is on the team.
Tomer Azarly: You guys are obviously players, but you're also now businessmen, you're a brand. What did you learn in the business section of what you guys went over about how to market yourselves and present yourselves in the business aspect of basketball?
Keaton Wagler: Yeah, we kind of just went over what we thought were the most important things to us. Like how we want to show ourselves, how we want to market ourselves to the outside world. And if it's through pictures and social media, or doing fan engagement or things like that, it's just that was a big topic that we discussed. And it's willing to do that because it's showing us and it'll help us outside of basketball, like you said. It'll build our market value that way.
Tomer Azarly: Did it help you develop some ideas about what you want to do with your social media or with investments like that? Have you thought about that already?
Keaton Wagler: A little bit. I feel like I've already been doing a pretty good job with that. I've been wanting to do some fan engagements, take pictures, sign autographs, that type of stuff, make appearances, but just continuing to do those things and have fun with it. You know, it might not seem fun at the time, but when you get out there and do it, you have a really good time and you build your fans.
Tomer Azarly: You'll be dealing with a lot of new coaches, player development staffers, and more people. What did you learn in the coaching relationships section about how to best approach and build on those?
Keaton Wagler: Yeah, the coaching relationships was about, like, you need your coaches. They help you get to where you want to go. And they're going to be there for you every day, and they're going to push you. And I think the biggest thing is listening to them. And that's how you kind of find your role on the team is knowing what they want from you. And if you go out and you don't do what they ask you to do, then you're probably not going to play. But if you go out and you do, that's how you get minutes. So whatever the coach asks you to do, you're gonna want to do it.
Tomer Azarly: Gambling is a very prevalent part of the sports world right now. What did you learn there about just how to navigate through everything that comes with that?
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Keaton Wagler: Yeah. I think the biggest thing is just trying to stay away from it. And, you know, you'll have family members or people of that kind or friends that are going to bet and bet on you, but you just got to try to stay away from it. And you know, you can't— You've just got to read the rules, honestly, because you might say something that you don't know is, you know, like helping them with their bets, but you saying it could help them. And so you just got to be smart. You got to be cautious. And the biggest key I took away from it was just stay away from it.
- Keaton Wagler in the middle - Darius Garland, Brandon Ingram around him - Dark skies in the background
- Keaton Wagler in the middle - Darius Garland, Brandon Ingram around him - Dark skies in the background
Tomer Azarly: You guys are dealing with a life changing amount of money coming your way. What did you learn about how to navigate that and the relationships around you with family and friends who are probably gonna ask for some?
Keaton Wagler: Yeah, definitely just having a good financial advisor is what I'm going to do. And, you know, like you said, like people are going to ask me for money and want that, but you just got to be smart. You can't just always give away your money. Because, you know, it seems like you have a lot, but you know, you can get through of it that fast. So just being smart with it, having a good budget each month. Saving it is a big key. And then like I said, like, you're going to get pressured into, one, like people are gonna ask you to give away money, but just being smart and you know, not being afraid to say no.
Tomer Azarly: Who is in your circle, whether it be a parent, sibling, friend, someone in your circle that you can rely on and go to them for anything?
Keaton Wagler: I'd definitely say my parents, probably. They'll be there for me no matter what. And they've already talked to me about, you know, anything. Like, no matter what it is, they're going to be there for me and if it's something like people are asking me for money like I can just say like, ‘talk to my parents, ‘and they'll be the ones that say no if I don't want to say that or don't feel comfortable. So it's just they're gonna be there to support me no matter what.
Tomer Azarly: You've had a month to get used to being a Clipper, to life in the NBA. I'm sure it's a whirlwind, so how are you doing and how are you handling everything?
Keaton Wagler: Yeah, no, I feel good! I'm good. This is where I want to be. It's definitely a lot of hard work, but it's just the beginning, so now I'm just embracing it. I want to get better each day and just take it all in.
Tomer Azarly: What else are you looking forward to learning about most that you maybe didn't go over in the first section?
Keaton Wagler: Honestly I think probably just continuing just to learn more about how to market myself, I would say. Because I feel like you know I've done a pretty good job, but I feel like there's other ways I can do it too, so just trying to learn that way and just like how to you know go about social media and things like that.
You can also read up on ClutchPoints' exclusive interviews on the Rookie Transition Program below:
Exclusive: Bulls' Caleb Wilson on showing out in Summer League, transitioning to life as rising NBA star
Exclusive: Cameron Carr ready to do whatever Lakers need as he prepares for life in NBA