Where Will Riley sits in latest CBS Sports NBA Mock Draft

Will Riley came into the Illinois basketball program as the highest ranked prep recruit in history. The five-star freshman was a major win for the Illini as he chose to come to Champaign over offers from Alabama, Kentucky, and Arizona. Riley came in and immediately made a massive impact on the offensive side of the ball, as he dropped 31 points in his college debut. After struggling through the middle of the season, Riley found his groove down the stretch and fully solidified himself as an NBA draft prospect. He ended the season averaging 12.6 points per game.  Now, he has a major decision to make. Should he come back to college and immediately vault the Illini back into Big Ten title contenders? Or should he capitalize on this moment and enter the 2025 NBA Draft?

Will Riley is a no-doubt draft pick, however, there are many questions about where he will end up. Despite impressive scoring ability, the young Canadian is on the thinner side and not the most explosive athlete. CBS Sports speculated on Riley’s draft prospects just about two months away from Draft night.

Number 14 to the Atlanta Hawks

CBS Sports’ Kyle Boone stated that Riley is really dynamic and had some “huge moments” down the stretch as a scorer. Boone added that Riley is just “scratching the surface of what he can be at the NBA Level” and will rise up NBA draft boards as time goes on. From a money perspective, Illinois can offer Will Riley a very competitive package. However, it is always best for young players to take advantage of their NBA draft position. If Riley is a first-round pick and occasionally slotted as a lottery pick, it makes no sense for him to return to college basketball.

From all that we can tell, Illinois fully expects Riley to enter the NBA draft process and is recruiting athletic wing players to fill the void.

 

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