The Washington Wizards have several young prospects on the roster with the potential to breakout this coming season.
Looking at young names like Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George, Washington's fanbase have plenty of high upside prospects to keep their eyes on as the season approaches.
And that's not even including the likes of newly acquired Cam Whitmore and AJ Johnson, who landed with the Wizards ahead of the NBA trade deadline last February.
All that to say, the young talent on the Wizards has provided plenty of optimism about the future of the team's rebuild.
In addition to the talented players already on the roster, the Wizards incoming rookie class could have several players with the chance to prove they could be building blocks for years to come.
Obviously, reigning No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson is the first name that comes to mind when talking about the Wizards incoming draft class.
The explosive shooting guard has all the makings to be a star in this league and with an immediate role on the horizon, the Texas standout should be in line for a big rookie campaign in year one.
However, one player that may be getting overlooked courtesy of the abundace of new talent in Washington is the Wizards second of two first-round picks this past offseason, Will Riley.
Riley was impressive during his lone season at Illinois, where he averaged 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists, while shooting 43.2% from field goal range and 32.6% from beyond the arc.
Not only was Riley impressive, but he managed to impress enough to prove worthy of a first round pick while serving as solely a bench piece for the Fighting Illini.
However, Riley hasn't only impressed the team's front office since taking the leap to the next level, but he's also impressed the veterans already on the roster.
“He’s a dawg,” Corey Kispert said when asked about Riley. “He works his tail off. He plays at 110 percent every possession.”
For a rookie coming in to a situation where he'll have the opportunity to earn a sizable role immediately, Riley couldn't be approaching his rookie season in a better way.
There's no denying the talent is there, and if he's able to turn the heads of the coaching staff with his work ethic and high intensity play, he could take on a larger role than expected in year one.
Washington could have more than one rising star on their hands and if the comments from Kispert are any indication about what the future holds, the Wizards are in a good place moving forward.