Wagler Second-Team All-American by The Sporting News
March 11, 2026 | Men's Basketball
News
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– Illini freshman guard Keaton Wagler has been named a second-team All-American by The Sporting News. Selected by a blue-ribbon panel of college basketball journalists and analysts, The Sporting News is one of four All-America selectors comprising the official NCAA consensus team.
Wagler Season Highlights
• First-Team All-Big Ten
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year
• West Award Finalist
• Wooden Award National Ballot
• Naismith Trophy Late-Season Team
• One of three NCAA freshmen averaging at least 17 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists
• Leads the nation in offensive rating among players with at least 24% possessions used at 132.4
• Sixth in the kenpom national player of the year standings
• Shattered Illinois freshman season scoring record, currently with 554 points
• Scoring average of 17.9 points is on pace to also break the Illini all-time freshman scoring average record set in 1993-94
• Fifth in the Big Ten in scoring during conference play, averaging 19.9 points
• Scored in double figures in each of the last 23 games, and 28 times on the season
• Nine 20-point games, one away from the Illini freshman season record
• National Player of the Week following record-setting 46-point performance in a win at No. 4 Purdue (Jan. 24)
The Sporting News 2025-26 All-America Team
First Team
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Cameron Boozer, Duke
AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Second Team
Kingston Flemings, Houston
Thomas Haugh, Florida
Braden Smith, Purdue
JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Third Team
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
Jaden Bradley, Arizona
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Labaron Philon, Alabama
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
Illinois All-Time Sporting News All-Americans
First Team
Kofi Cockburn, 2022
Ayo Dosunmu, 2021
Dee Brown, 2005
Andy Phillip, 1943
Second Team
Keaton Wagler, 2026
Kofi Cockburn, 2021
Deron Williams, 2005
Brian Cook, 2003
Ken Norman, 1987
Tal Brody, 1965
Don Sunderlage, 1951
Third Team
Kendall Gill, 1990
Bill Erickson, 1949
