The former Camden star talked about a new beginning at Arkansas during his third annual community drive on Saturday, where hundreds of local kids received school supplies.
DJ Wagner decided to stay in college, rather than enter the 2024 NBA draft. He followed former Kentucky coach John Calipari to Arkansas.DJ Wagner pointed his right thumb over his shoulder toward a black backpack, and his opposite hand toward a blue option.
It was a way for Wagner to give back to his hometown, where he morphed into a top-10 national high-school basketball recruit before an inconsistent freshman season at Kentucky in 2023-24. A few months ago, he decided to stay in college, rather than enter the NBA draft. And Sunday, he will head back to Arkansas, where he followed former Kentucky coach John Calipari to continue his college career.
Last year, Wagner joined a long list of heralded guards to become Kentucky Wildcats. But during his first college season, he shot 29.2% from three-point range and struggled to change pace and make sharp decisions with the ball in his hands. Fellow guards Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham eventually surpassed Wagner in production and efficiency, then became top-10 NBA draft picks.
“Putting my faith in him,” Wagner said of Calipari, “knowing that, going with him, I’ve got a chance. The team has a chance to be great. … In my eyes, I’m still there , just in a different place.”When asked about his offseason workouts, Wagner acknowledged he has “a lot of stuff I can improve on” to demonstrate he will be ready to jump to the NBA in 2025. Way-too-early mock drafts vary drastically, with some projecting Wagner as a lottery pick and others completely out of the first round.
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