Overview
Riley bounced around several high schools before spending the final two years of his high school career at The Phelps School in Malvern, where he established himself as one of the best Canadian prospects. In fact, most of the specialized outlets ranked him as the top Canadian prospect and a consensus Top-15 player in the 2025 class. He enrolled at Illinois and immediately became a reliable player for the Fighting Illini, though he wasn’t a regular starter. Riley made nine starts out of 35 appearances in his freshman year, averaging 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists across 25.7 minutes per game.
Analysis
Riley was expected to be a 6-foot-8 point guard in college, but he didn’t have the chance to play as a floor general at Illinois, so his handling and vision didn’t develop as one would’ve imagined. Despite the limited minutes he had as a bench player, Riley showed the ability to score near the rim and handle isolation plays, and his frame will help him succeed at the next level in individual duels, particularly if he stays as a guard and is not moved to a forward role. He reads the game very well and tends to make himself available in offensive situations due to his smart cutting to the rim. He has an above-average IQ and can make plays with ease on both ends of the court. He’s also an efficient defender, and again, his size will allow him to become an above-average defender, or even better, if he continues to evolve and gain strength.
Quotable
“Will is a really, really good hard-shot maker, and he’s very gifted at getting to his spots. I don’t know if I’ve coached a player that is 6-foot-8/6-9 and just shy of 200 pounds now, but thin, and that gets to his spots as easily as he does. “ — Illinois head coach Brad Underwood
Some stats & tidbits
2024-25 Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year … Averaged 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 25.6 minutes … Set the Illinois freshman record for points in a debut with 31 against Eastern Illinois on Nov. 4, 2024 … Raised in the same hometown (Kitchener, Ontario) as Nuggets guard Jamal Murray … Coached at the youth level by Murray’s father, Roger … Favorite NBA player is LeBron James
Projection
Riley didn’t have the chance to be a regular for Illinois, but he didn’t need to log heavy minutes to show the kind of player he might be at the next level. He’s a player who has all the physical tools to be a solid player across the board, but his shooting and handling aren’t top-tier yet. However, he compensates for that with excellent IQ and solid defensive skills across the board. He may have to earn his stripes as a wing defender before being given more offensive responsibilities at the NBA level. Riley has drawn comparisons to Cam Reddish.
— Profile by RotoWire.com