5-Star SF Recruit Will Riley Commits to Illinois Over Kentucky, Arkansas, More

Class of 2025 small forward prospect Will Riley has committed to Illinois over Kentucky, Arkansas and other programs, per 247Sports' Jeremy Werner.

Riley, a Malvern, Pennsylvania, native, is a 5-star prospect considered to be the No. 12 overall player, the No. 3 small forward nationally and the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania by 247Sports composite.

Along with offers from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky and others, Riley also had professional opportunities before ultimately picking the Fighting Illini, according to Werner.

With a 0.9955 247Sports Composite, Riley is Illinois' highest-ranked recruit since the start of the Composite era in 2003. Brad Underwood, who took over as head coach in 2017, has been responsible for the six-highest recruits in the last 22 classes, Werner noted.

Riley is the second commit for the Illini for the Class of 2025 with the other being Jeremiah Fears, a 4-star combo guard and the No. 32 player nationally, according to 247Sports composite. It's still early in the year, but Illinois currently has the top recruiting class for the Class of 2025.

Illinois is coming off a strong 29-9 season where it lost to eventual champion UConn in the Elite Eight—its best finish during Underwood's tenure. The Fighting Illini lost a handful of players to the transfer portal and star player Terrence Shannon Jr. to the draft, but they're looking to post another promising season as they await Riley's arrival in 2025.