Los Angeles Clippers rookie No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler lived up to his Draft stock in his NBA debut Wednesday.
The Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings 121-96 at Intuit Dome in their campaign curtain-raiser, with Wagler contributing heavily off the bench. He posted a 15-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist line in 29 minutes — shooting 3-for-6 from deep — drawing league-wide praise afterward.
Wagler's teammate, star point guard Darius Garland — who led the Clips in scoring with 30 points — however, was not surprised by the Illinois product's performance.
"He's been working his butt off, literally," Garland said about Wagler. "He's been in the gym every day. His confidence is growing [through] the roof. All we've been telling him is to keep his confidence high. We got his back no matter what."
Good Vet
Garland is uniquely positioned to mentor Wagler, despite being only 26, as a fellow former No. 5 pick.
Garland was excluded from both NBA All-Rookie teams in 2019 after averaging 12.3 points and 3.9 assists per game with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has since become a two-time All-Star. He assured that the Clippers will not let Wagler get too low at any point during his freshman year in the league.
"He's gonna take lumps," Garland said. "That's what happens in a rookie year. We're right behind him. We're gonna stick behind him. Gonna have his back through all the trials and tribulations... His confidence is sky-high right now. You saw it today. It was really good."
Though they didn't start together on opening night, head coach Ty Lue may pair the dynamic duo soon.
The Clippers will be hoping they can form a backcourt for the present and the future — especially since the franchise will be without a first-round pick for the next five years.
Nice Pairing
On paper, Garland and Wagler can work well together.
In the opener against the Kings, Garland started aggressively, looking to score before getting his teammates involved in the second half. If he can do that consistently, that bodes well for a capable secondary playmaker like Wagler against looser defenses.
Wagler is already showing do-it-all guard capabilities and could one day be a walking triple-double. He has good size and is a willing rebounder and passer. The scoring aspect goes without saying.
They could soon be a matchup nightmare for opposing backcourts.
Wagler has grown a lot since averaging 18 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in four Summer League games in July. The confidence is glaring. He often looked timid in Las Vegas, despite what his scoring tallies may suggest. He was hesitant to go get his.
On Wednesday, he looked like a different player. One who knew he belonged on an NBA hardwood.
The 50 percent efficiency from three-point range was even better than the 39.7 percent he shot in college. The 4-for-4 at the free-throw line was pleasing. The two steals were a bonus, and just one turnover is a great way to start building ball-handling trust with Lue.