Four Illini in 2026 NBA Mock Draft – Including a Surprise First-Round Projection

We have hammered it home all season long: Illinois is extremely talented. In fact, we’ve gone so far as to say there may not be another college team that boasts as much talent as the Illini. But now you don’t have to take our word for it. Just ask Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, who released his latest 2026 NBA mock draft on Tuesday.

In his updated two-round draft projections, an impressive four Illini were listed as likely future draftees. Two unexpected names made their respective mock draft debuts, one of which skyrocketed into the first round. We’ll break down each below:

Four Illinois players projected in latest 2026 NBA mock draft

Nov 23, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood during the first half against the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

No. 58: Tomislav Ivisic

A bit of a surprise considering his relative struggles to open the season (although he was fantastic against Tennessee), Tomislav Ivisic has stuck around at the very edge of projections due to his coveted skill set of shooting and passing at 7-foot-1.

Tomislav Ivisic’s dagger sealed the win for the Illini 💥 pic.twitter.com/7H3vnPF5Q5
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) December 10, 2025

No. 54: Kylan Boswell

The real shocker in Wasserman’s projections is Kylan Boswell. The senior guard has blossomed into a bucket waiting to happen when he gets downhill, and he has also bumped his three-point percentage up to 30.4 this season – though that number still needs to climb higher.

Still, Boswell's rim-attacking ability, defense and pick-and-roll decision-making appear to provide enough potential for NBA teams to have a strong interest.

No. 50: Andrej Stojakovic

Andrej Stojakovic, a gifted scorer with ballet-dancer footwork, solid explosion and great finishing ability around the cup, also has his fair share of fans in NBA front offices. His downhill ability and growing defensive influence will almost surely guarantee he gets drafted in 2026, but his three-point shot will determine how early the 6-foot-7 wing goes.

Illinois transfer Andrej Stojakovic against No. 11 Alabama:

26 PTS | 11-16 FG | 2-3 3PT | 3 REB pic.twitter.com/ZOihobvoo2
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 20, 2025

No. 29: Keaton Wagler

Keaton Wagler has exploded onto the scene in his first year of college basketball. Illinois coach Brad Underwood had made it abundantly clear he expected Wagler to be a key piece of the rotation heading into the year, even predicting that Wagler – who was a consensus three-star recruit in the class of 2025 – could be a one-and-done prospect.

Just over a month into the season, Underwood’s prediction is aging like fine wine. Wagler put together a career-best performance against Tennessee on Saturday, then one upped himself on Tuesday vs. Ohio State.

Illinois 6’6 Freshman PG Keaton Wagler has looked the part of a top 20 pick so far this season.

Through his first 10 games Wagler is averaging 15/5/3 on 44/37/83 splits and has been a major part of Illinois’s 8-2 start.

Standing at 6’6 Wagler has great positional size and… pic.twitter.com/5C42hSUKc0
— KJ (@KJScouting) December 10, 2025

An unbelievably sound decision-maker and pick-and-roll operator, Wagler has NBA-level IQ, along with a sweet jumper and a creative package around the basket. His limited athleticism will remain a question mark and perhaps keep him from ever climbing into the NBA Draft lottery, but he is well on his way to being plucked off the board in the first round.