With the latest NBA draft reports suggesting that the New Orleans Pelicans will no longer have to trade up for a top 3 pick to land Rutgers forward Ace Bailey, the likelihood of them keeping and using the 23rd overall pick is growing.
Obviously, New Orleans' biggest need is at the point guard spot, with Dejounte Murray missing the start of next season. So they very well could draft a point guard at pick No. 23. That being said, Will Riley is an intriguing name to watch. New Orleans has already brought in the Illinois freshman for a pre-draft workout, and his shooting ability could fill a big need for the Pels.
Riley is coming off a stellar freshman season, where he won Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year for his averages of 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.
Will Riley has a skill set that the Pelicans need
Riley shot just 32.6% from 3 this past season at Illinois, but with more reps, that'll only get better, as he showed flashes all season of being a knockdown shooter. Riley specifically thrived as a catch-and-shoot player, shooting 61.3% across all catch-and-shoot attempts. Riley is incredibly effective off the ball, as he is excellent at creating separation and uses his high basketball IQ to know when to cut.
Because Riley played alongside Kasparas Jakucionis, his touches as the pick and roll operator were limited. However, when he got his chances, he flashed the type of skill set that can lead to guys being quality secondary ball handlers.
With Riley spending most of his time playing shooting guard, the fact that he stands 6'8" made him a mismatch for opposing defenders when he attacked the basket. However, he’ll need to add more muscle to his frame to finish at a high level in the NBA. This is sometimes viewed as a red flag by teams' scouting departments as it's a lot of work for some young players to add muscle.
However, Riley put on over 20 pounds during his lone season at Illinois, showing that he is not afraid to spend time in the gym if it helps him have better results on the court. From a defensive standpoint, putting on muscle is also very important for Riley, as even though he has great size at 6'8", he'll likely get overpowered by forwards at the NBA level.
Riley isn't some freak athlete that'll jump out of the gym, but with his style of play being a catch and shoot and self-creation wing, he won't need to rely on athleticism to be successful.
Riley's NBA comparison and fit in New Orleans
As far as comparisons go, I often compare Riley to a less athletic Trey Murphy, as he possesses much of the same scoring ability as Trey. I also like to compare him to a smaller Michael Porter Jr. because of his ability to thrive in catch-and-shoot situations and create his own shot.
The Pelicans likely lose a self-creator off their bench in Brandon Boston Jr. because of a lack of available roster spots. New Orleans could look to replace him with someone who can do many of the same things and is much more of a three-point shooting threat. With a growing need for three-point shooting, the Pelicans should seriously consider Will Riley at No. 23, a skilled high-IQ shooter that has the tools to thrive in New Orleans system.