Illinois' Brad Underwood Compares Current Backcourt to Legendary Illini Duo

Early in the offseason, the expectation was Illinois’ 2025-26 starting backcourt featuring Mihailo Petrovic and Kylan Boswell mdash; B/R Hoops @brhoops.

But through two games, the makeup of that starting backcourt has changed. Petrovic has been sidelined because of a hamstring injury and has yet to make his official season debut. Yet it still appears the Illini may have one of the best pairs of guards in the league – and perhaps even the country.

Brad Underwood praises Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell

“Keaton's pretty good. I don’t think he’s struggled much," Illini coach Brad Underwood said of freshman Keaton Wagler, who has filled in for Petrovic as the starting point guard. "I think Keaton would be playing these minutes no matter who we had healthy or not. Keaton’s a really good player. He’s going to be on the floor a lot."

With Petrovic frequently sidelined by injuries since arriving on campus in August, and with Ty Rodgers (knee) also on the shelf, Wagler and Boswell have had an entire summer to build chemistry alongside one another. The biggest winner in the entire ordeal? The Illini.

Once Petrovic returns, Illinois should have something resembling a three-headed monster in the backcourt, with three players capable of grabbing the reins at lead guard. Ideally, when Petrovic, Rodgers and Brandon Lee all return at some point in the not-too-distant future, the Illini could boast one of the deepest, most dynamic backcourts in college basketball. But for now, it’s up to Wagler and Boswell to hold it down.

“[Kylan’s] one of the best conditioned guys in the country," Underwood said. "Strong – been in college four years, so he’s been in that weight room. He knows what conditioning is. He’s smart. And Keaton’s been almost unflappable in terms of not turning it over and good decisions. So that’s a position I feel either one of those guys can be very, very comfortable in."

In fact, the chemistry between Boswell and Wagler is so apparent through only two games that Underwood drew a comparison between a memorable former Illini backcourt pairing. 

Boswell and Wagler earn lofty comparison

“It reminds me a little bit of having Ayo [Dosunmu] and Trent [Frazier]," Underwood said. "They’re just different. They’re different types of guards, but they’re very compatible together.”

Dosunmu and Frazier helped revitalize the Illini program during the early years of Underwood’s tenure, pushing Illinois to heights that Champaign hadn’t seen since the mid-2000s. Behind the two guards, the Illini won the Big Ten Tournament title and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2020-21.

Perhaps Wagler and Boswell can one-up Dosunmu and Frazier, not just earning a top spot in the Big Dance but also capitalizing on it with a Final Four run.