The Washington Wizards struggling season has allowed for the team to get a glance at the young talent on the roster, but arguably the most intriguing prospect the team has seen this season is the one player who entered the year being overlooked.
That player? Will Riley.
Riley has emerged as one of the most exciting players on the rebuilding team, and after a flurry of breakout performances in the G-League, his expanded role as of late has given head coach Brian Keefe the opportunity to see just how impactful he can be on the active roster.
However, Keefe isn't the only person who's seen a shift in Riley's game.
In fact, one person who was originally late to the Will Riley hype is NBA Draft Analyst Sam Vecenie, who has seemingly has his opinion on the oversized guard completely altered as of late.
Sam Vecenie is all-in on Will Riley now
On a recent episode of the Game Theory Podcast, Vecenie touched on the current state of the Wizards, including the potential contract extensions for Trae Young and Anthony Davis; as well as the top young prospects on the roster.
When opening up about the young players on the roster, Vecenie couldn't help but rave when he got the opportunity to praise Riley.
"The guy that looks like a real potential get and a real potential dude is Will Riley," Vecenie said. "And it took me awhile last year to come around to him...but man, you can see the vision for how this dude, who's 6-foot-9 could become like a really useful starting caliber NBA player."
Averaging 14+ points in each of the last two months of play, the Illinois product has showcased not only has effectiveness as a scorer with his impressive touch as a shooter and his craftiness getting to the rim, but he's also proven to be a capable playmaker with great vision.
And Vecenie going out on the limb to publicly buy stock in Riley suggests that he knows what everyone knows too.
Riley could be a major piece to the puzzle in Washington
Riley may not often be mentioned when talking about the young pieces to the puzzle in the DMV, but that will change soon.
The former Big Ten standout has consistently impressed and what he's shown in an expanded role has come with an increased boost of confidence and plenty of moments that make fans and the coaching staff raise their eyebrows.
With a full offseason of work and the opportunity to build on his rookie season, the sky is the limit for Riley.