The Illinois basketball team is poised for a competitive 2025-26 season, but they will have to do it without their freshman star Will Riley, who has not announced a return for his sophomore season.
It was a long shot from the beginning, but the NCAA deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft to maintain college eligibility was by the end of the day, May 28. That means the Illini will be without the talented forward next season.
Riley is generally seen as a projected first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, right outside the top 20 by both ESPN and NBADraft.net's most recent mock drafts.
Riley ended up measuring well at the combine, too. The NBA Draft Combine weighed Riley at 185.6 pounds, and apparently, this was up 14 pounds from the Nike Hoops Summit, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Pair that with Riley's 6’8 ¼" barefoot height, 6’8 ¾" wingspan, and 8’8” standing reach, and an NBA team will love to get their hands on him.
Illinois’ Will Riley’s official measurements from the NBA Draft Combine:
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 12, 2025
6’8 ¼ barefoot, 185.6 lbs with a 6’8 ¾" wingspan and 8’8” standing reach
Riley grew an inch and added 14 pounds from last year's Nike Hoop Summit. pic.twitter.com/2L2HF4Jlvd
Brad Underwood will need to lean on the newcomers for Illinois to see success
Without Riley, Brad Underwood will need to rely on his newcomer, Andrej Stojakovic, a Cal transfer and former McDonald’s All-American, to fill the scoring gap.
Stojakovic is primed to become the go-to scorer, especially in Underwood's system. His ability to attack the rim, draw fouls (nearly four per game), and create off the dribble makes him a perfect fit. While his three-point shooting (31.8%) numbers might not be stellar, it could be a sign of Underwood relying less on the three next year for all of his players and utilizing Stojakovic in a way that complements Illinois' many shooters.
For Illinois, this roster will be better equipped to emphasize ball movement and strength in the low post without Riley. Obviously, Riley would have been a huge addition if he had returned, but fans can still expect a talented Illini roster. Compared to last year, it should have a heavier reliance on pick-and-roll plays, leveraging Mihailo Petrovic’s vision, Stojakovic’s versatility, and the various shooters on the floor like David Mirkovic, Kylan Boswell, and more.
Defensively, Underwood has adapted well by bringing in size and rim protection. The addition of Zvonimir Ivisic from Arkansas allows Illinois not to miss a step when Tomislav Ivisic leaves the floor. Mirkovic is shorter than Riley but plays more physically underneath the basket. They have replaced what Illinois is losing in Riley with better physicality, rebounding, and rim protection.
There are aspects of the team that Riley’s exit does hurt Illinois, but Underwood has done an excellent job of acquiring talent to replace what Riley would have brought back. Illinois is positioned for a deep NCAA tournament run if all these players can gel and form chemistry early.