Jun. 24—CHAMPAIGN — Tom Petty was on to something when he penned the lyrics to his hit single, "The Waiting."
It really is the hardest part.
And Kylan Boswell is experiencing it in full this week.
The Champaign native watched 30 players selected on Tuesday night during the first round of the 2026 NBA draft without his involvement. While that was the expectation for the Illinois guard — zero mock drafts or draft conversations included him as a first-round option — it doesn't change the fact that just 30 picks remain.
Just 30 more opportunities for Boswell to hear his name called on Wednesday night when the second round gets underway again at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and jump-start the next stage of his basketball career. The stage he's been working to hit for the better part of a decade from his days as a middle-school star in Champaign and Urbana to workouts with pros like Darren Collison as a teenager and a successful four-year college career.
It really is the hardest part.
And Kylan Boswell is experiencing it in full this week.
The Champaign native watched 30 players selected on Tuesday night during the first round of the 2026 NBA draft without his involvement. While that was the expectation for the Illinois guard — zero mock drafts or draft conversations included him as a first-round option — it doesn't change the fact that just 30 picks remain.
Just 30 more opportunities for Boswell to hear his name called on Wednesday night when the second round gets underway again at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and jump-start the next stage of his basketball career. The stage he's been working to hit for the better part of a decade from his days as a middle-school star in Champaign and Urbana to workouts with pros like Darren Collison as a teenager and a successful four-year college career.
4 months ago
