“Too Skinny, Not Athletic?” Former High School Coach Saw What Others Missed in Keaton Wagler

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 27, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Once labeled a lightly regarded recruit and questioned for his frame, Illinois freshman guard Keaton Wagler has rapidly transformed from an overlooked high school prospect into one of the most talked-about young players in college basketball and a potential NBA lottery pick.

While much of the country has been stunned by Wagler’s rapid rise, there is at least one person who is not surprised: David Birch, the head boys basketball coach at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School in Kansas.

Birch, Wagler’s high school coach, recently spoke . . .

 

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