It's amazing what a single whopper of a game can do for your rep when on top of an upward trend.

We have spent most of the 2025-26 basketball season talking about this uber-talented freshman class, debating who will go No. 1 in the next NBA Draft. Another player entered the chat Saturday.

Illinois rookie Keaton Wagler scored a whopping 46 points as the No. 11 Illini upset No. 4 Purdue 88-82 on the Boilermakers’ home floor. It is the most points ever scored by a visiting player at Mackey Arena, and the most in a power conference game since then-freshman Trae Young scored 48 for Oklahoma on Jan. 20, 2018, in an 83-81 overtime loss to Oklahoma State.

Wagler may have the best story in college hoops. The No. 261 player in the 2025 class, according to the 247 Sports Composite ranking, he had just one other high-major offer out of high school (Minnesota). Now, he’s on track to be a lottery pick.

Is Wagler the most incorrectly evaluated prospect in the modern era of college basketball? It certainly seems like it, but by all means, make your case for others in the comments section.

What’s even crazier is that he wasn’t the only freshman to score 40 points Saturday. Kingston Flemings had 42 in No. 6 Houston’s 90-86 loss at No. 12 Texas Tech (more on that game below) while BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, the favorite to go No. 1 in the draft, exploded for 43 points, setting a school freshman record.

If you are just now tuning into college hoops in anticipation of the NCAA Tournament, know this: March is going to be dominated by the new guys, and it’s going to be really, really fun.

Someone mentioned Zach Edey as someone way underrated in high school. Three stars, lower than Wagler in ranking, and we know what he did, although it took a while.

Another mentioned Ja Morant as a zero-star who blew up.