It might be time to admit something that felt unthinkable a few months ago — this is Keaton Wagler’s team. After rewatching Illinois’ dominant Braggin’ Rights win over Missouri, Sunny breaks down why the offense hit its ceiling with Wagler as the primary decision-maker and why his usage, poise, and efficiency are already star-level. We dive into the numbers, the film, and the lack of freshman mistakes that separate Wagler from everyone else on the roster right now. Sunny also explains how this impacts Kylan Boswell’s role, why the offense hums best when Wagler, David Mirkovic, and Tomislav Ivišić are the main points of contact, and what this means moving into Big Ten play. Plus, a nuanced conversation about Mihailo Petrović vs. Brandon Lee, defensive tradeoffs, rotation decisions, and why Brad Underwood’s choices made sense even if they frustrated fans. This isn’t hype — it’s a clear-eyed look at where Illinois basketball is headed.

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