NBA Draft 2025: Will Riley Scouting Report, NBA Comparison, & Projection

Tall, dynamic shot-making wings like Will Riley often garner quite a bit of NBA buzz. Riley’s combine measurements underscored his excellent combination of height, skill and shooting upside. He’ll need to add plenty of muscle and strength as most teenagers do, but Riley’s size and offensive skillset form a rare prospect package.

• Team: Illinois
• Height: 6’8
• Weight: 186 lbs
• Wingspan: 6’9
• Age: 19.4 (February 10, 2006)

Will Riley— Wing, Illinois (19.4 years old)

NBA Comparison: Kevin Huerter, Jaylen Wells

Riley could find success in the NBA in a similar manner to Kevin Huerter, who thrived as an ancillary wing creator and off-ball shooter next to an elite initiator point guard in Trae Young. If Riley can’t develop into a quality starter or low-end star, he could weaponize his size and shooting to add value as an off-ball role player who can hopefully bulk up to add value on defense.

Strengths

• Versatile shotmaker who flashes greatness as a tough on-ball shooter 
• Impressive playmaker for his size, uses jump passes and height to pass through and over defenses, especially on interior passes
• Physical, aggressive driver who seeks and absorbs contact despite his slighter frame and scores with great touch
• Has a deep bag of dribble counters, comfortable spinning back and crossing when defenders cut him off
• High motor helps him compensate for a lack of athletic tools on defense, some impressive screen navigation flashes

Weaknesses

• Extremely frail without a long wingspan or reach, must add tons of muscle and functional strength to thrive at the NBA level
• Lacks the burst or explosiveness to consistently create easy looks for himself on the ball
• Prone to some reckless decisions as a passer, especially when he leaves the ground
• Struggles to force misses defending the basket without great reach or vertical explosion
• Limited defensive playmaker without positive explosive twitch or ground coverage speed

Offensive role: Wing Shotmaker/Secondary Playmaker

Defensive role: On-Ball Defender

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Round 1, Pick 16-20

Riley’s limited physical and athletic tools will narrow his margin for error in the NBA pending significant growth. There’s plenty of downside in Riley’s profile, but players with his height, shooting potential, ball skills and passing feel can far exceed their draft slot. Teams with strong player development should take a chance on Riley’s offensive upside.