Illinois basketball fans had a chance to see two special players try to lead the program to great heights in 2024-25.
Sadly, these two great Illini players were just freshmen. It is hard at that age to lead any program deep into the NCAA tournament, let alone win something like a national championship.
One of the two young stars on the roster was Will Riley. He started off stumbling but came on strong mid-season and really finished his lone year in Champaign on a high note. Riley then entered his name into the NBA Draft, and he decided to continue through with the process.
From the jump, Riley’s goal has been to play in the NBA. He is going to get that chance next season, too. In the latest NBA Mock Draft by Kevin O’Connor, he has Riley landing with an incredible franchise.
New two-round mock draft updated with the latest intel plus a new top 60 big board!
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) May 30, 2025
Mock: https://t.co/r6UCn9RrjM
Board: https://t.co/ModbL3LDRd
Full scouting reports, comps and more included for every prospect in my Draft Guide. pic.twitter.com/WoYQbwBIbN
With pick No. 24 overall, O’Connor has the Oklahoma City Thunder taking Riley. If he ended up with the Thunder, that would arguably be the best option for the young forward. He would join a team that is currently waiting on the Eastern Conference Finals to finish up to potentially claim their stake at the top of the NBA.
Oklahoma City Thunder could use Will Riley to help build around the NBA MVP
Riley has all of the tools to be a successful NBA player. His 6-foot-8 height, combined with great athletic ability, stands out. He also has good handles, and his mid-range game is massively underrated. Once he gets some NBA development, I think he will shine bright.
The Thunder would be a perfect spot for that development. They don’t have much in the way of athletic size. Chet Holmgren is a lanky big man who can shoot well and move decently well. Isaiah Hartenstein is another big man who can move okay but is more of a paint player.
Oklahoma City doesn’t have someone who can play the No. 4 spot with Riley’s size and athletic ability combination. The best example might be Jaylin Williams off the bench, but he doesn’t get a lot of time.
What the Thunder could do is use Riley to help build around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He just won the NBA MVP, and he needs wings who can help score the basketball. Oklahoma City has a ton of great young pieces, but they are missing someone like Riley. I think he would be a perfect fit with the potential NBA Champs.