Will Riley

Riley is a Canadian forward who reached the NBA through the 2025 draft after a decorated freshman season at Illinois. A top-ranked Canadian prospect and the highest-ranked Illinois signee in the internet era, he has established himself as a versatile scoring forward with deep range.

Born William Riley on February 10, 2006, he attended Southwest Academy Prep in London, Ontario, and later The Phelps School in Malvern, Pennsylvania. He averaged 21.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists during EYBL play and was named Offensive MVP of the EYBL Indy Session for UPlay Canada. He was named MVP of the 2024 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp during NBA All-Star Weekend.

Riley was ranked the top Canadian prospect and a consensus top-10 player in the class of 2025. On June 23, 2024, he committed to Illinois, surpassing Dee Brown from the class of 2002 as the highest-ranked recruit signed by Illinois in the internet era. He reclassified to the 2024 class to join earlier.

At Illinois, Riley was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times in November 2024, averaging 22.5 points and seven rebounds in his award-winning weeks and setting the Illini freshman scoring record. He was named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year at the close of the regular season. He declared for the 2025 NBA draft and received a green room invite.

The Utah Jazz selected Riley 21st overall in the 2025 NBA draft and traded him to the Washington Wizards. He made his professional debut on October 22, 2025, scoring two points against Milwaukee. On April 5, 2026, he became the first Wizards rookie since Calbert Cheaney in 1994 to record consecutive 30-point games and the youngest player since LeBron James in 2004 to record at least 30 points and five steals in a game.

Riley functions as a versatile scoring forward with size, deep range, and the ability to create offense off the dribble. His Illinois freshman season demonstrated immediate offensive dominance. In the NBA, his development centers on defensive consistency, playmaking growth, and establishing himself as a primary offensive option in Washington.