Keaton Wagler and Will Riley Explode, Other Former Illini Shine in NBA Summer League

In mid-July, with football more than a month out and the hoops season still nearly four months away, the Illinois athletics faithful may be feeling a little deprived, but there is a place to get a dose of Illini sports (sort of): the NBA Summer League.

Here's the latest update on five key former Illinois players competing in Summer League action in Las Vegas:

How former Illini are faring in NBA Summer League action

Kasparas Jakucionis, Milwaukee Bucks

Donning his new NBA threads against his former club – the Miami Heat – on Friday, Kasparas Jakucionis went for 11 points, three rebounds and six assists (against two turnovers).

Shooting 2-for-3 from deep was encouraging, but Jakucionis struggled from inside the arc (0-for-7 on twos), which extended a worrisome trend that began last season in his NBA rookie year (43.9 percent on twos last season).

He followed up that performance with a seven-point, four-assist, four-steal outing on Sunday night in a second straight loss. Jakucionis also registered five turnovers.

Kylan Boswell, Charlotte Hornets

After posting a donut in his NBA Summer League debut, Kylan Boswell bounced back with an attention-grabbing performance on Saturday. In just 15 minutes of action, Boswell scored eight points, dished out seven assists (against zero turnovers) and snagged four offensive rebounds, along with a steal.

He played his ideal NBA role – within-the-flow-of-the-offense scoring, secondary playmaking and mistake-free defense – to a T in that contest. Boswell also totaled four points, two rebounds and four assists (zero turnovers again) in 11 minutes on Sunday.

Ben Humrichous, Brooklyn Nets

Net-scorching for the Nets, Ben Humrichous has been on a heater ever since he kicked off Summer League action. He went for nine points on 3-for-5 shooting from long range on Friday, and he also added five rebounds. Humrichous went cold on Saturday, though, finishing 0-for-5 from deep.

Will Riley, Washington Wizards

Shooting, attacking the rim, making plays for teammates – you name it, Will Riley was doing it on Sunday en route to a spectacular 32 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Will Riley in tonight's win:

32 PTS
6 REB
3 AST
6 3PM

The @WashWizards improve to 2-0 in @NBASummerLeague play! pic.twitter.com/uNYhovYL55
— NBA (@NBA) July 13, 2026

He went 6-for-8 from deep, showcasing his already-established microwave-shooting ability while also displaying his unique downhill package. Riley blends his length, herky-jerky shiftiness and advanced understanding of driving lanes to beat his defender, and very often to an area of the floor uncluttered by help defenders.

Riley’s one season of NBA hoops has given him a sense of maturity and poise, which, paired with his talent, has allowed him to truly separate himself from the rest of the pack in Las Vegas this summer.

Keaton Wagler, Los Angeles Clippers

There was a lot of chatter after Keaton Wagler’s admittedly underwhelming NBA Summer League debut. And through one half on Sunday night, that chatter appeared poised to only grow. Then Wagler scored 18 points in the third quarter, which tied the Utah Jazz’s total as a team in that frame.

In that 10-minute stretch alone, Wagler showed exactly why he was selected with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. He worked in isolation action after getting a ball screen and displayed that lethal off-the-bounce jumper. Wagler connected on a heavily-contested midrange off a spin dribble. He created a drive-and-kick opportunity by attacking a switch, before getting the ball swung back to him for an open three.

Keaton Wagler, the 5th overall pick, led the way for the Clippers!

🏀 23 PTS (team-high)
🏀 4 AST
🏀 4 3PM (team-high)

The @LAClippers win in @NBASummerLeague action 👏 pic.twitter.com/bFNqGCPvt3
— NBA (@NBA) July 13, 2026

All night long, just as Wagler did at Illinois, he consistently made the right play – even when it was the boring extra pass (which is often the one that even the best playmakers overlook). Defensively, he hounded No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson, who shot just 6-for-18 from the field.

There were still notable areas for improvement to be found: Wagler, quite unexpectedly, had seven fouls. He also shot just 2-for-9 from inside the arc and continued to be hampered by point-of-attack physicality.

So it wasn’t a perfect night for Wagler – but it was certainly a massive stride in the right direction as he outdueled Peterson and his Los Angeles Clippers took a 104-82 win behind his 23 points and four assists.

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