The next Wizards' star may be hiding in plain sight

Wizards have a high-upside player already rostered that's not being talked about enough.
Mar 1, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe looks on during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Mar 1, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe looks on during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards have plenty of eyes on them after an offseason full of moves to alter their roster ahead of year two with Brian Keefe at head coach.

Washington started the offseason off with a bang landing CJ McCollum in one of the first blockbuster trades across the league just before the NBA Draft.

The McCollum news quickly went from head scratching to looking genius when general manager Will Dawkins managed to land Tre Johnson at No, 6 overall in the draft.

Following the conclusion of the draft, Washington continued their summer of moves by taking a swing on potential landing Cam Whitmore in a deal from the Houston Rockets for a shockingly cheap price.

With the likes of McCollum, Johnson and Whitmore all incoming, there's plenty of hype around the Wizards roster and what year three of their rebuild could look like.

Not only is the roster young, but it's much deeper than it was when the Wizards season came to a close in April.

However, with all the excitement about the bigger names joining the Wizards roster this offseason, one player in specific may be getting swept under the rug despite his talent and skillset offering plenty of potential for his future with Wizards.

Will Riley isn't being talked about enough

Entering the offseason, the Wizards seem to be linked to nearly every top tier wing in the NBA Draft with the likes of Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey costantly being rumored to interest Washington.

Obviously, both players were selected ahead of the Wizards, but it was still evident that the team was looking to add a versatile young wing to the mix as their rebuild continues.

After selecting Johnson, the Wizards managed to utilize their second pick in the first-round to land Will Riley with the No. 21 overall pick.

Riley stood out during his freshman season at Illinois, averaging 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in a bench role with the Fighting Illini.

At six-foot-eight, Riley is listed as a guard, but his size will allow for him to play plenty of time as a forward with the Wizards during his rookie year and beyond.

The versatile wing has the talent as a scorer, high-IQ and patience that will allow for him to be an intriguing prospect for the Wizards to develop.

The Illinois product hasn't been talked about enough this offseason as while he may be flying under the radar, it won't be a surprise to see him carve out a role immediately in Washington this season.