The attention from the Washington Wizards incoming draft class seemingly was focused on the rookie year of No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson.
Johnson entered his rookie campaign as the team's top pick over the offseason and with Rookie of the Year expectations, many people overlooked the fact that the Wizards selected another high upside prospect in the back half of the first round.
That player? Will Riley.
Riley emerged as a projected first round pick late in the draft process after a standout season at Illinois, where he served as a reliable sixth man for the Fighting Illini.
The oversized guard's skillset made him an intriguing fit for several teams, but his basketball IQ is the exact reason why the Wizards took a swing on his potential with the No. 21 overall pick.
To start the season, the 19-year-old hasn't received much opportunity to crack the team's rotation.
In fact, most of Riley's opportunity for extended run has come in the G-League with the Capital City Go-Go.
Fortunately for Riley, in his biggest G-League game to date, head coach Brian Keefe was in attendance and it may have been the exact boost the Big Ten product needed to earn rotation minutes from here on out.
Brian Keefe impressed with Will Riley's standout performance
Following Riley's 36-point performance running at the point guard position in the G-League, Wizards coach Brian Keefe made it clear exactly how hopeful he is that Riley will be able to contribute sooner rather than later.
When asked about what he saw in Riley's breakout game, the head coach didn't hold back:
"His processing, his passing, his ability to read the game; that's obviously all stuff that we liked in the draft," Keefe said. "He got good reps at that, playing at the point yesterday. He's big, he's 6'8", he can see over the defense. He had a big scoring night, the passing is the stuff that impressed me the most."
Fast forward to Tuesday, Riley saw his first real chance at rotation minutes with the Wizards checking in during the first quarter and his ability to seize the moment may be the exact reason why Washington won't be able to take him out of the rotation moving forward.
Through 26 minutes, the oversized guard finished with 13 points, four rebounds and an assists, while shooting 83.3% from field goal range, including two makes from beyond the arc.
Following his performance, Riley will likely see an increased workload which could be huge for his role on the Wizards moving forward.
All that to say, in a year where development for the team's core is the primary focus, Riley receiving extended minutes should be at the top of the Wizards to-do list.