DJ Wagner scores 2,000th career point, goes for 40

CHS-59388 — Photo by Dr. Michael Huang | Kentucky Sports Radio

Out of 104 players to score 2,000 career points at the high school level in history, Dajuan Wagner Sr. sits at the top of the list at No. 1 with 3,462. It was a historic career at Camden High that led the school to name its basketball court after him, Dajuan Wagner Court.

On that very floor Thursday evening, Wagner’s son and Kentucky basketball signee DJ Wagner Jr. became No. 105, scoring his 2,000th career point in Camden’s 90-52 win over Bishop Eustace to clinch the Olympic National title.

The bucket to secure No. 2,000 came on a floater in the paint off a left-handed drive with 19 seconds left in the third quarter.

Wait for it … DJ Wagner slices his way to the bucket for No. 2,000. Kentucky-bound McDonald’s All-American is seventh in Camden history to hit milestone 🏀🏀@KentuckyMBB @UKCoachCalipari @CamdenPantherAD @CamdenHigh_NJ pic.twitter.com/mmbruIScTu
— Kevin Minnick 🏀💥 (@kminnicksports) February 10, 2023

He followed it up with a quick 3-pointer to open the fourth to tie his grandfather, Milt Wagner, at 2,003 career points, then added another bucket with 3:44 to go to bring his total to 2,005. That’s good for No. 6 all-time on Camden’s scoring list.

“Just go, just attack.”

Wagner would finish the day with 40 points overall, his second consecutive 40-point effort, this one coming on Senior Night.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my teammates. I tip my hat to them,” Wagner said, via Kevin Minnick of NJ.com. “I’m just very appreciative of them – my teammates and my coaches. They really encouraged me to be aggressive, go get it. That made me feel a lot more comfortable to go out and get it.

“They told me to just go, just attack.”

The future Wildcat scored a combined 14 buckets — 12 twos and two 3-pointers — to go with a perfect 10-10 at the line to give him 40. He added five rebounds, three assists and three steals in the blowout win.

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Another run to state

The Panthers will compete in the Camden County Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday, with postseason play ramping up from there for Camden (21-2). The seeding meeting for the state playoffs is set to begin Monday, where Wagner hopes to make yet another run to a Group 2 NJ title, potentially closing out his standout high school career with back-to-back state championships.

The future Wildcat is coming off a 40-point effort in the second round of the Camden County Tournament, an outing where he knocked down eight 3-pointers in a 114-46 blowout win vs. Winslow.

Future Wildcats set to compete for a national title in Lexington

Wagner, considered the No. 3 overall prospect in 2023 by the On3 Consensus, is teammates with fellow Kentucky signee and No. 4 overall prospect Aaron Bradshaw. Those two are joined by another UK target in 2024 four-star guard Billy Richmond, who earned an offer from the Wildcats in late December.

Up next for Wagner and Bradshaw following their run to state? Lexington, where winning a national championship is at the top of the priority list.

“Really, it’s just about being as successful as possible, taking it game by game and winning as much as possible,” Wagner told KSR. “Our end goal is most definitely winning an NCAA championship. That’s the goal, for sure, but it starts with working. We all need to be working from day one, staying in the gym. We’re definitely looking forward to that.”