Will Riley, a former standout for the Illinois men’s basketball team, is projected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night, having taken a diverse path to reach this point.
A native of Canada, Riley was a consensus five-star recruit when he decided to play under Brad Underwood for the Illini after high school. Although Champaign might not be the most glamorous destination, he became part of an Illinois squad rich with European talent, which he believes has provided him with a competitive edge, as he mentioned to Andy Katz prior to the draft.
“The fundamentals, you’re just taught that from such a young age,” Riley stated about his Canadian upbringing. “You’re taught basic things like footwork, like just pivoting and stuff like that.”
Riley brought those foundational skills to Illinois, where he started nine games in his only season, averaging 12.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He played alongside two European-born teammates, learning significantly from their experiences.
“I feel like it helped me with a lot of things. You learn different things from different places,” he explained. “Playing with European guys is amazing; they teach you so much different stuff, not just in basketball but outside of basketball.”
Having participated in workouts for teams across the mid to late stages of the first round, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel predicts he will be selected No. 21 overall by the Utah Jazz.
“Will Riley offers versatility as a shooter and scorer who can play either the shooting guard or small forward positions,” Siegel noted. “The Jazz have ample time to devote to developing their players, and Riley would benefit from such an environment, as he needs experience as a shooter on and off the ball.”
Regardless of where he lands, Riley has received an invite to the green room and will be present at Barclays Center when his name is announced.
Russell Steinberg covers Major League Baseball and the New York Liberty for ClutchPoints. A lifelong baseball and basketball enthusiast, he has contributed to Boardroom, SLAM, SB Nation, The Next, and various other publications. Steinberg graduated from NYU in 2012 and continues to return to serve as the PA announcer and occasional broadcaster for the school’s basketball and volleyball teams.
Image Source: Will Riley @ Instagram
