Rookie Keaton Wagler finished in double figures and knocked down the go-ahead shot on Sunday to send the LA Clippers to a victory over the Golden State Warriors.
Wagler finished with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and one blocked shot in the 104-101 win at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. He went 3-for-15 from the field in 30 minutes, 5 seconds of work off the bench.
The fifth overall pick earned praise from coach Tyronn Lue for playing with a high level of confidence, despite struggling from the field. Wagler credited his teammates for encouraging him to continue shooting and knock down the game-winner with 12.8 seconds left.
"I think it is just all of the work that I put in throughout the year," Wagler said. "My
teammates were saying to me, 'Keep shooting it, no matter makes or misses; this is preseason. This is time to get better, and the only way to get better is to shoot shots.' I just went out there and tried to play free and confident. Shots didn't really fall tonight, but I stayed confident the whole game."
KEATON WAGLER IN THE CLUTCH.
— NBA (@NBA) October 5, 2026
He puts the Clippers ahead by 1 with 12.8 to go 🍿
Watch the final seconds on NBA League Pass. pic.twitter.com/1V3ybJuL0e
Wagler was a consensus second-team All-American last season at Illinois, averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 39.7% from 3-point range. He set numerous freshman program records, including points (663), scoring average, field goals (202) and 3s (87).
The 19-year-old debuted with the Clippers in the NBA Summer League, averaging 18 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 33.3% from 3-point range in four games. He scored 20 or more points twice, including a 26-point effort on July 17.
Wagler was highly touted as a guard prospect after a sensational freshman year. The team is high on his potential and is excited to watch him take the court this season and beyond.
"His confidence doesn't waver -- same facial expressions, plays through the game," Lue said. "Down the stretch, (he) made a big shot to put us up. But he took some great shots, shots that we want him taking, being aggressive. We are very confident he can make those shots."
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Clippers rookie Keaton Wagler reacts to game-winner in preseason debut
