We’re just hours away from the NBA Draft, and it seems all but certain we will be watching two Illini get selected in the first round. Kasparas Jakucionis has been a consensus lottery pick for months, but fellow freshman Will Riley’s status was a bit up in the air.
While KJ’s game is fairly polished thanks to his years of playing in Europe, opinions have been mixed about how Riley stacks up against his peers in this year’s class. But the 6-foot-8 wing’s potential is alluring, so much so CBS Sports’ Colin Ward-Henninger referred to Riley as the “steal of the draft” earlier this week:
I legitimately think he is a top-10 talent. His range is unlimited and he shoots it with confidence, while he’s also shown flashes of some advanced playmaking ... He has a midrange game and the basketball IQ that makes him a smart cutter and connective passer ... In five years we could be wondering how he dropped so far.
That time window, of course, is where much of the disconnect lies amongst fans. Most organizations grasp the concept of Will Riley’s — and to some degree, Jakucionis’ — readiness to compete in the NBA eventually instead of immediately. Being a first-round pick doesn’t guarantee you’re going to turn heads day one — many are chosen as “upside” picks, with franchises exercising a patient developmental approach over instant gratification.
To that point, CBS’ Kyle Boone lists the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year as one of the biggest boom-or-bust prospects in the class:
Riley is a wiry wing who wowed with his scoring flashes in one season at Illinois ... He’s not ready to be an impactful NBA player next season and may need to find the right team and the right program willing to invest in ensuring he has the right resources and tools to become the dynamic scoring wing he shows potential of becoming.
Will Riley is one of the more polarizing and fascinating prospects in this year’s draft. But the NBA is a trait-based league and Riley’s offensive attributes leave no doubt that his name will be called Wednesday evening.