2025 NBA Draft Profiles- Assessing Will Riley's Fit With Atlanta

The Atlanta Hawks have a lot of choices in this upcoming 2025 NBA Draft.

Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA: Illinois Fighting Illini forward Will Riley (7) gestures during the second half against the Xavier Musketeers at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks have a lot of decisions to make this summer, and it starts in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, where they own the 13th pick (via Sacramento Kings) and the 22nd pick (via Los Angeles Lakers). The Hawks fired former General Manager Landry Fields and have found his replacement to be Onsi Saleh. They are still looking to add a president of basketball operations, with reports linking them to multiple possible options. In addition to these developments, the Hawks have taken some small steps forward, leaving many optimistic about the team's future and the accomplishments they can achieve.

The Atlanta Hawks exceeded many expectations, but in a way, they have flown under the radar compared to most teams in the process. For instance, the Hawks advanced to the In-Season Tournament Conference Finals and then concluded the season in the Play-In Tournament as the eighth seed, featuring many young players on the team.

This team is so much fun to cover. Lets see what Vegas brings

2021 ECF rematch on deck

— jackson caudell (@jacksoncaudell) December 12, 2024

With much of this movement and success surrounding the Hawks organization, they have some more opportunities to build on a decent season as a young, upcoming team. The start of this upcoming season starts in the NBA Draft later this month, and the Hawks have some good options to add to this roster.

Let's take a look at some strengths and weaknesses for potential Hawks draft pick, Illinois forward Will Riley and how he fits with this current roster:

Strengths:

Will Riley is an outstanding athletic player with good versatility, given his size. Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 185 pounds, Riley has the frame needed to be successful at the NBA level and has put on some muscle this past season. Riley has a high work ethic with the ability to build on his game, as he is a good shooter in the mid-range, and has a good handle with the basketball, as well as a good, quick enough shot to get off when the defense is tightly guarding him or running to contest his shot. He has a strong IQ for basketball, which enables him to show flashes of picking apart defenses as well as shooting off the dribble, creating space as a result of his playmaking abilities. Riley's ability to play without the ball in his hands and create open shots, whether on the fastbreak or getting to the basket, he finished well on contact finishing opportunities close to the basket, and with him continuing to build out his figure, it is only a matter of time before he becomes a problem to guard in the NBA.

Weaknesses:

Though Riley possesses the skills necessary to be efficient offensively and defensively, there could be some issues until Riley gets the opportunity to fill out his body. Riley also struggles with playing efficient basketball, as he shot 43% from the field, 32% from three-point range, and 72% from the free-throw line this season. Riley is also a very slender player, and doesn't have much that he can do if you hone in on taking away certain things he likes to do offensively and isn't much of a good consistent defender as he can lose site of who his defensive assignment is and can struggle against other players who can use screens well or who doesn't need the ball in their hands to be effective offensively.

Overall:

The fit of Riley in Atlanta could be something good, as he has shown the potential to be a well-rounded overall basketball player with a promising future. Riley would need to grow into his frame and work on his defense and efficiency to become a better overall player. However, in Atlanta, with many other players who have improved their game over the years, it could be the same for him. As far as his offensive fit, he could work in Atlanta based on his overall ability to play inside the paint and score from the mid-range area, which the Hawks built their offense on the last few seasons, and not needing the ball in his hands helps a player like Trae Young's caliber who likes to be the focal point of the offense. In terms of defense, however, that's where things could be a struggle for success, as he does need to build more attentiveness and consistency on that end of the court. Still, with where he's at right now at just 19 years old, he could eventually turn out to be better as he gains more experience. Riley's willingness to learn and grow could make him a good fit for the Hawks in the near or distant future.

feed