After an impressive freshman season with the University of Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball team, Will Riley of Kitchener, Ont., has his sights set on the big league.
Riley announced Monday he is declaring for the NBA draft in June.
His head coach, Brad Underwood, says Riley’s work ethic is unparalleled.
“Will is one of the most gifted offensive talents I have ever coached,” Underwood said in a release sent out by the University of Illinois.
“He came in as one of the highest-rated recruits in our school’s history, and due to his hard work and commitment, he now has the opportunity just one year later to live out his NBA dream.”
Riley, a 6-foot-8 forward who averaged 12.6 points off the bench this season, is projected to be picked in the first round of the draft.
He earned the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, given to the player with the highest points total.
Along with 12.6 points, Riley had 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists and played in all 35 games, according to the University of Illinois basketball statistics.
The NCAA’s Fighting Illini Basketball team registered 22 wins in the season.
Riley, 19, was born in Kitchener and attended Preston High School in Cambridge and Grand River Collegiate Institute in Kitchener. He then transferred to The Phelps School in Malvern, Penn., for the last two years of high school.
In the University of Illinois release, Riley credits his mom for influencing his career, saying “she gave me my competitive edge and drive to succeed.”
As far as the team goes, he says he chose Illinois because “I love the coaches, the players and the atmosphere that surrounds the program, and they fit my playing style.”
The 2025 NBA draft will be held June 25 and 26 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
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