DJ Wagner didn’t need much convincing that Buzz Williams’ system could fit him.
The new Maryland guard came away from the portal process with a clear read on what Williams wants from his backcourt: freedom, toughness and decision-making that helps the whole team, not just the guy with the ball. Wagner said that style stood out to him long before he ever got to College Park.
“He lets guards rock. He gives his guards a lot of freedom to play, as long as we're working,” Wagner said.
“And I can see that just from playing against them in the past, I could tell. He lets his guards rock, he let his team rock in general, he likes his teams to be player-led.
The main thing is just playing hard no matter how skilled you are, how talented you are, he wants you to play hard, no matter what.”
That belief helped push Wagner toward Maryland, but it wasn’t the only factor. Assistant Steve Roccaforte also played a key role early in the recruitment, and the connection carried extra weight because Wagner’s father, former Memphis guard Dajuan Wagner, played for Roccaforte when he was on the Tigers’ staff.
Wagner said the relationship made the process feel personal from the start.
“It was surreal knowing my dad played for him, just to be able to come here now and talk to him. He was telling me old stories and stuff like that so it was fun and it’s been fun,” Wagner added.
He also made it clear he feels good about the choice.
“I’m very happy with the decision I made and I’m happy to be here,” Wagner said, before explaining what sold him on Maryland. “It was just that they believe in me, and they know the player I could be.
And most importantly, they love to win, and I gotta win. I can just tell they're very genuine, they love to win and they like to make people better players on and off the court too.
That was the biggest thing for me, was just believing in me and being able to come here and win.”
Wagner’s game gives Maryland a guard who can get downhill and create for others, two traits Williams emphasized during the chase. The senior point guard is coming off a season at Arkansas in which he posted a 3.4 assist-to-turnover ratio, even while averaging single-digit scoring and starting in just over half of the Razorbacks’ 35 games in 2025-26.
His scoring profile also comes with a wrinkle Williams likes to see: nearly one-sixth of Wagner’s career points have come at the free throw line. That may not line up perfectly with Williams’ preferred distribution, but Wagner’s efficiency and control are part of the appeal.
He also arrives after a season in which he scored a career-low 7.4 points, despite setting career highs by shooting 42.9% from the field and 34.6% from three. That three-point number has climbed steadily across his three seasons, and Maryland is hoping he can help address perimeter shooting while bringing steadiness to the backcourt.
He’ll be part of a group that includes Tennessee transfer Bishop Boswell, with both guards expected to benefit from an experienced frontcourt and five-star wing Baba Oladotun. The addition of Tomislav Buljan and Pharrel Payne, whose waiver was officially approved last month, gives Maryland more size and more confidence in what could be an upgraded starting five.
Wagner said that presence should matter on both ends.
“I feel like that's gonna make it easier for us on both ends. On defense, they're gonna be able to block shots, get rebounds.
I feel like that's going to make us more confident on defense just knowing we got them behind us, because if anybody gets past us, they're right there to block it. And on the offensive end as well, I mean, they're very skilled, they can pass, score, I mean, whatever you want to name, they make it easier.”
For Wagner, Maryland also marks the final stop in a college career that has been shaped entirely by John Calipari until now. He committed to Kentucky over Louisville as the top-ranked overall recruit in the 2023 class, started right away in his lone season with the Wildcats, then followed Calipari to Arkansas, where he started all 36 games in 2024-25.
Now, with one last college season ahead of him in a different program, Wagner said Calipari left a lasting mark on his career.
“I'm thankful for everything he taught me, everything he did for me, honestly, just to have those experiences is amazing. Just to be able to say I was able to play for him, he's a legend.”