Illinois basketball freshman Will Riley will enter 2025 NBA Draft
Illinois freshman Will Riley has declared for the NBA draft.
The Big Ten Conference Sixth Man of the Year told ESPN on Monday that he'll enter the 2025 NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of eligibility. Riley joins Fighting Illini teammate Kasparas Jakucionis, who declared for the draft earlier Monday.
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What's next for Illinois basketball? Transfer portal, NBA, recruiting and more
"I learned a lot through the season," Riley told ESPN. "I faced a lot of adversity, which helped me. When I was younger, I had no idea what it was like on the American basketball scene. That transition from Canada was good for me. The biggest difference was the physicality.
"I put on 22 pounds before the start of the season. NBA teams saw my potential as a ball-handler and creator, my IQ, and my ability to make reads. These are things you can't teach. I got adjusted midway through the season and started to blossom."
Riley, a 6-foot-8 wing, averaged 12.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists as he appeared in all 35 games, starting nine games. He averaged 25.7 minutes a game and shot 43.2 percent from the field.
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This is the sixth Illinois player from the 2024-25 roster to leave with Jakucionis going to the draft, while Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Tre White, Morez Johnson Jr. and Carey Booth all entered the transfer portal.
Latest portal news, updates: Illinois basketball transfer tracker 2025
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois basketball: Freshman Will Riley declares for NBA Draft 2025
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