Connect with us

Washington

Washington Wizards Select Illinois’ Will Riley: What He Brings

Published

12 months ago

on

Washington Wizards Select Illinois’ Will Riley: What He Brings


At Wednesday night’s NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards (through a trade with the Utah Jazz) selected Illinois’ Will Riley with the 21st overall pick – one spot after fellow Illini Kasparas Jakucionis.

Here’s what the Jazz can expect to get out of Riley:

Advertisement

Few players in college basketball – freshman or otherwise – went on heaters the way Riley did last season. The definition of a microwave scorer, Riley has every scoring tool in his kit: pull-ups, step-backs, side-steps, fadeaways, etc. With his 6-foot-8 frame and quick release, Riley can essentially get his shot off at will – an ability that should translate fairly seamlessly to the next level.

A true three-level scorer, Riley has a crafty handle and takes advantage of his long strides to get downhill. Equally effective with either hand around the rim, he can finish in a variety of ways. Riley has excellent touch on bunnies and push shots, and he loves to use the glass – especially on the right side.

Extremely active, Riley is a “right place, right time” kind of a guy – an invaluable and unteachable skill. An instinctual cutter, he can sneak behind defenders (and sometimes right in front of their faces). At the very least, he forces opponents to keep their heads on a swivel. Riley’s activity also pays off on the offensive glass, as he does an excellent job of crashing. 

Developing as a facilitator as the season progressed, Riley – who had tunnel vision at the start of the year – turned himself into a solid secondary playmaker for the Illini. At times, Illinois even ran its offense through Riley, putting him on the ball in pick-and-roll situations – and he flourished. Riley went from teetering on the edge of black hole status to now being firmly in the “willing passer” category.

But Riley is still prone to falling back into his old habits. With such a well-rounded scoring package, he can get comfortable taking questionable shots – whether they’re falling or not. In turn, his percentages suffered, as Riley shot just 43.2 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from deep.

Advertisement

Defensively, Riley gets back-cut too often, but one can rarely question his level of effort. His slim frame (185 pounds) remains a prevalent question mark, but his level of physicality is never up for debate. There are also worries surrounding his athleticism – both laterally and vertically – but it’s worth noting that Riley only recently turned 19 and has a body that appears to be steadily improving.

Come back to Illinois on SI for news, analysis, social media reactions and more coverage of Illinois in the NBA Draft.

A Look at Each Illinois NBA Draft Pick Since the Turn of the Century

Ty Rodgers’ Injury: How It Will Shake Up Illinois’ Projected Rotation

Brad Underwood, Bret Bielema, Shauna Green Feature in Chicago Cubs’ ‘Illini Night’





Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Washington

Parsing Trump’s claims about Washington’s reflecting pool

Published

44 minutes ago

on

June 24, 2026

By

Parsing Trump’s claims about Washington’s reflecting pool


US President Donald Trump wanted to mark the US’s 250th birthday with a renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.

The makeover, including a new coat of “American Flag blue,” cost taxpayers $16 million (€14.1 million).

But the water is covered in green algae. The blue paint is already peeling. Trump has blamed vandals, while his critics question the project’s transparency and cost.

DW’s Brent Goff and Washington correspondent Janelle Dumalaon unpack the whole fiasco.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Washington

Social media reacts to former BYU star AJ Dybantsa going No. 1 in 2026 NBA draft

Published

11 hours ago

on

June 23, 2026

By

Social media reacts to former BYU star AJ Dybantsa going No. 1 in 2026 NBA draft


Former BYU basketball star AJ Dybantsa fulfilled his dream of going No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA draft.

The Washington Wizards selected Dybantsa with the first pick.

Immediately after the pick, reactions poured in on social media about the Wizards drafting Dybantsa.

Social media reactions to the Washington Wizards selecting BYU star AJ Dybantsa

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.

Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.

Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go.

Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up to date on all your favorite teams.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

Washington

Washington Commanders announce 2026 training camp schedule

Published

21 hours ago

on

June 23, 2026

By

Washington Commanders announce 2026 training camp schedule


ASHBURN, Va. – The Washington Commanders have released their 2026 Training Camp schedule, with eleven open practices between August 1 and August 19, including five open to all fans and six reserved for season ticket members.

For the fifth straight year, training camp will take place at the team’s football operations headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia. 

Advertisement

Open practices for all fans are scheduled for August 1, August 7, August 8, August 18 and August 19.

 Season ticket member practices will be held August 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12. 

All sessions begin at 8:30 a.m., with gates opening at 7:30 a.m.

Advertisement

Fans can claim free tickets beginning June 23 at 10 a.m. General admission fans may request up to six tickets and one parking pass for a single day of camp. Season ticket members can claim tickets for two member‑exclusive days in addition to one general admission day. All parking will be on site at the BigBear.ai Performance Center and requires a parking pass.

The team plans several themed events throughout camp, including Back Together Weekend on August 1, Military Appreciation Day on August 7 and Kids Day on August 8. Local youth football and community groups will also be hosted throughout the summer.

Advertisement

For more information visit the Washington Commanders online.

The Source: Information in this article comes from the Washington Commanders.

SportsWashington CommandersWashington, D.C.
Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending