Will Riley
| No. 7 – Illinois Fighting Illini | |
|---|---|
| Position | Small forward |
| League | Big Ten |
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 10, 2006 Kitchener, Ontario, Canada |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | The Phelps School (Malvern, Pennsylvania) |
| College | Illinois (2024–present) |
William Riley (born February 10, 2006) is a Canadian college basketball player who plays for the Illinois Fighting Illini of the Big Ten Conference.
High school career
[edit]Riley attended high school at Southwest Academy Prep in London, Ontario with brief stops at Preston High School and Grand River Collegiate Institute.[1] He then attended The Phelps School in Malvern, PA where he spent the last two years of his high school career. He was ranked as the top-ranked Canadian prospect and No.9 overall by 247Sports, No.10 by On3, and No.11 by Rivals in the Class of 2025.
He averaged 21.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists during EYBL and was named Offensive MVP of the EYBL Indy Session, starring for UPlay Canada.[2]
He was named MVP of the 2024 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp during NBA All-Star weekend.[3]
College career
[edit]On June 23, 2024, Riley committed to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was originally part of the class of 2025 but reclassified to 2024 to join earlier.
Riley is the highest-ranked recruit signed by Illinois in the internet era, surpassing Dee Brown from the Class of 2002.[2]
On Monday November 11th, 2024 Riley was named the first Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the 2024-25 season. Riley's overall week (22.5 points and 7.0 rebounds) in two Illinois wins, as well as his securing the Illini freshman scoring record, that tipped the scales in his favor.[1]
Personal life
[edit]Riley's parents are named Ray and Tracy.[1] His parents both played sports in high school. His dad ran track and his mom played hockey.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Bryson, Mark (2 March 2024). "Kitchener's Will Riley hot in pursuit of NBA dream". The Record. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Riley Signs with Illinois". University of Illinois Athletics. 23 June 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "Canadian Will Riley named MVP of BWB Global camp". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "Five-star small forward Will Riley planning June visits to Kentucky, Alabama". Zagsblog. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.