Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
Will Riley jumps into a new chapter of his life.
The 6-foot-8 forward is considered one of the best high school players in the world.
“He showed up at the first exposure camp and all these scouts were like, ‘who is this kid?’ So he’s made a name for himself,” said his mother Tracy Riley.
After receiving about 25 offers from top college programs for well over a year, decision day finally arrived Sunday for the Kitchener, Ont., basketball player.
“I’ve worked really hard for these countless hours in the gym running dribbling and so much more,” Riley addressed a crowd of family and friends. “I’m glad everyone is excited for me. you know, excited about the trip.”
The 18-year-old athlete announced his commitment to the Illinois Fighting Illini.
“Really excited for the next trip and what lies ahead,” said Riley. “I’m really excited to bring my family with me, my friends and everyone who has supported me.”
The gymnasium at Waterloo’s RIM Park erupted with applause and cheers as friends and family celebrated his decision.
“He has surpassed anything I could ever imagine,” said his father Ray Riley. “He’s more than basketball, he’s an amazing young man.”
“The coach is driven to make the national championship. They want to get to the final four in March Madness and they think Will can help make that happen,” said Tracy.
Riley decided to leave Grand River Collegiate Institute two years ago to play at Phelps Academy in Malvern, Pennsylvania, where he quickly made a name for himself.
“I had to make that decision to improve, develop more,” Riley said. “The competition was much better down there so I decided to move down there.”
“This has been a great journey for Will,” said Tracy. “From the time he was young and watching the progression from house league to All-Star games to Team Ontario to Canadian basketball, to moving on to the provinces and getting into that system and having the all that exposure.”
A variety of Will Riley’s basketball jersey on June 23, 2024. (Hannah Schmidt/CTV Kitchener)
Up until about a week ago, Riley had been considering offers from Arizona, Alabama. Kentucky, Illinois, and professionally in New Zealand.
He says when it came down to his final decision, two teams stood out as the top contenders: Illinois and Kentucky.
“I was going between different places for a while, but I’ve known for about a week now where I’m going,” he said. “As soon as I went on that visit [to Illinois]I fell in love with the school, the coaches, teammates, everyone.”
“They had a blueprint for his role on the team,” Tracy explained. “It looks like when he goes there, he’ll probably be a starter and a very central part of their team as a freshman. We liked what they had to offer.”
Now bound for Illinois, the young and eager Riley is ready to hit the court at the State Farm Center.
As for what’s next, Riley will continue to shoot his shot at his ultimate goal: playing in the NBA.
“That has always been a dream of mine,” he said.
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
source link https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/5-star-forward-from-kitchener-ont-announces-commitment-to-illinois-1.6938057
