What the Charlotte Hornets Are Getting in Illinois' Kylan Boswell

On Tuesday night, former Illinois guard Keaton Wagler was selected with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. The expectation was that Wednesday night – the second round of the NBA Draft – would see another Illini plucked off the board.

Guard Kylan Boswell had been projected to be a late second-round pick for months (although he did slip out of mocks just days before the big event). By the time Wednesday night concluded and the final pick was cast, however, Boswell remained undrafted.

And most of Thursday saw Illini fans eagerly awaiting Boswell’s new destination – even after fellow graduate Ben Humrichous found his home (on an Exhibit-10 Contract with the Brooklyn Nets).

Finally, on Thursday evening, Boswell put pen to paper, signing a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets. With a two-way deal, Boswell will have the opportunity to suit up for both the Hornets’ G-League squad – the Greensboro Swarm – or for the actual NBA squad.

From Champaign to Charlotte.

Kylan signs a two-way contract with the Hornets. pic.twitter.com/n3ODtKBqb9
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) June 25, 2026

Notably, he won’t have to bank on an exceptional NBA Summer League showing to cement himself with the organization (as many undrafted free agents who sign Exhibit-10 Contracts often do).

What are the Charlotte Hornets getting in Kylan Boswell?

It sounds corny. Every head coach says it about a player for whom the whole is greater than the sum of his parts: “He’s a winner.” But for Boswell, the characterization rings true. He played in the NCAA Tournament in all four of his college seasons, and he put a bow on the experience with a Final Four berth in 2026.

And it wasn’t a coincidence. Need a lead guard? Boswell can be the guy. What about a secondary playmaker? He can do that, too. And let’s not forget: The 6-foot-2 Boswell would even play in the dunker spot for the Illini at times. On occasion, he would toggle between all three spots in the same game.

Boswell was willing to embrace any role Illini coach Brad Underwood and his staff asked of him – and he was quite effective in each. With his diverse skill set, wearing multiple hats suited him especially well – and may even be what allows him to stick in the pros.

Boswell is a competent three-point shooter – off the catch or the bounce – and can use his tight handle, quick burst and strong frame to attack the basket. Around the basket, he plays well off two feet, is quite patient and can bounce any defender.

And he doesn’t just create for himself. Boswell can draw multiple defenders and kick to an open teammate or drop it off to a big at the rim. He’s also more than willing to make the simple extra pass.

Offensively, he will settle on questionable long-distance jumpers once in a while, but aside from that, Boswell consistently makes the right play. The only question on that end: Why did his three-point efficiency tank during his time in Champaign?

He shot a sterling 38.2 percent from beyond the arc in two seasons at Arizona before slipping to 27.2 percent in two seasons at Illinois. Had that number held throughout his four college seasons, Boswell would have been a surefire NBA draft pick.

Defensively, Boswell may be even better. He is the full package on that end: He possesses that aforementioned rock-solid frame, lightning-quick hands, excellent length, top-notch lateral agility, a superb hoops IQ and, most importantly, a defensive ego – in the most complimentary sense. Boswell has that stubborn you-aren’t-getting-a-bucket-on-me mindset that separates the best defenders from the rest.

There are players who have Boswell’s individual traits – but not all blended together. And his otherworldly strength is his hidden superpower. He can root out interior-oriented players (he was Illinois’ answer to Texas Tech's 6-foot-9 JT Toppin last season) or stonewall a guard attacking the rim.

Boswell also has that unique ability to read an opponent’s game like a book. He can seemingly predict every dribble, and he picks his spots – when to truly ramp up the pressure on given possessions and even within possessions – at a startlingly effective rate.

Put concisely: In Boswell, the Hornets are getting a secondary playmaker and downhill threat with shooting upside, not to mention a tremendously instinctive and driven defender – and, yes, above all else, a winner.

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