Will Riley

Last updated
Will Riley
No. 7–Illinois Fighting Illini
Position Small forward
League Big Ten
Personal information
Born (2006-02-10) February 10, 2006 (age 18)
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight195 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.

Contents

High school career

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.com, and No.11 by Rivals.com 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 recruiting information
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeightCommit date
Will Riley
F		 Kitchener, Ontario The Phelps School 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)180 lb (82 kg)Jun 23, 2024 
Star ratings: Rivals: 5 stars.svg     247Sports: 5 stars.svg     ESPN: 5 stars.svg
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 11   247Sports: 10
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2024 Illinois Commits". Rivals.com.
  • "ESPN- Illinois Fighting Illini Men's Basketball Recruiting". ESPN.com.
  • "2024 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.
  • "Will Riley". 247sports.com.

College career

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. At the time of his signing, Riley was the highest-ranked recruit signed by Illinois in the internet era, surpassing Dee Brown from the class of 2002. [2]

Freshman season

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, tipped the scales in his favor. [4]

Personal life

Riley's parents are named Ray and Tracy ( née  Hooks). [1] His parents both played sports in high school. His dad ran track and his mom played hockey. [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 Bryson, Mark (2 March 2024). "Kitchener's Will Riley hot in pursuit of NBA dream". The Record. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Riley Signs with Illinois". University of Illinois Athletics. 23 June 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  3. ↑ "Canadian Will Riley named MVP of BWB Global camp". FIBA.basketball. 19 February 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  4. ↑ "Illinois Guard Will Riley Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week".
  5. ↑ "Five-star small forward Will Riley planning June visits to Kentucky, Alabama". Zagsblog. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
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