Kylan Boswell didn’t hear his name called during the 2026 NBA Draft, but his path to the league isn’t over.
For Illinois fans, the draft started with a high point when Keaton Wagler went No. 5 overall to the Los Angeles Clippers, the second-highest NBA Draft pick in Illini history. After that, though, the night belonged to disappointment. Boswell, who many expected to come off the board in the mid-to-late second round, went undrafted at the Barclays Center.
Boswell already has his next shot lined up. He signed with the Charlotte Hornets on June 25 to a two-way contract, giving him a route to play in the G-League while also allowing Charlotte to call him up whenever it wants.
Now he’s moving into the next phase of the audition. On Thursday, the Hornets released their Summer League roster, and Boswell was right in the middle of it, among a group of familiar college names all trying to carve out a place for themselves.
That makes the Hornets’ first game especially important for Boswell. Charlotte opens play on Thursday, July 9, at 6:30 p.m.
CT/7:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video, and that will be the first chance to see him in action.
The opportunity is real, but so is the pressure. Charlotte is not locked into Boswell, and the team can move on from him at any time. This is his chance to prove he belongs.
There may be a path to minutes this season, too. Charlotte has done plenty of roster reshaping this offseason, including moving on from Miles Bridges, who pleaded no contest to a felony charge of injuring a child’s parent in 2022. The Hornets also traded LaMelo Ball and got back size and shooting in Naz Reid.
The point guard picture in Charlotte looks thinner now, with Ball gone and Coby White sitting atop the depth chart. There isn’t much behind him, and that could create an opening for Boswell if he makes the most of Summer League.
In the end, it comes back to one thing: Boswell has to show it. If he plays well, he can stick around and maybe earn time in The Association. And if he’s going to make that leap, the aggressive version of Boswell is the one that gives him the best chance.
In Other News...
Brad Underwood Just Sent A Huge Message About Lincoln Williams
Lincoln Williams commitment gave Illinois another high-upside addition in the 2026 cycle, and Brad Underwood wasted little time explaining why the Kankakee standout fit what the program wants to build. The Illini coach pointed to Williams athleticism and long-term potential, while also emphasizing the kind of development support Illinois can offer after its recent Final Four run helped raise the programs profile with elite prospects.
Williams had plenty of options before choosing Illinois, and his decision came after he stayed on the board deep into the cycle before signing on June 8. Underwoods public praise suggests the staff sees more than just raw talent here, especially with the expectation that the programs strength and conditioning and player development resources can help shape him further once he arrives in Champaign. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Still Has One Huge July 4 Recruiting Battle Left
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Flemisters announcement is the one with the most direct impact for Illinois, which has stayed in the mix as the list has narrowed toward the finish line. The Illini are trying to hold their ground against a crowded field, and the July 4 reveal will show whether their late push was enough to land a player who could help round out the class. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Freshmen Are Already Giving Fans Reason To Believe
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Early returns have been encouraging inside the program, where Brad Underwood and his staff have come away impressed during the first few weeks of the freshmens integration. For a team that has made a habit of leaning on roster construction and development, the size and talent of this class give Illinois a chance to build real momentum, even if the bigger question is how quickly all of those new pieces can settle in and start to matter. [Read more 🡒]