The Washington Wizards rebuild has been focused on the development of young players as the team continues to look towards the future throughout their struggling start to the season.
Washington has several intriguing prospects on the roster with the likes of sophomores Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George, who've shown signs of a leap being the most talked about building blocks in the DMV.
In addition to Sarr and George, incoming rookie Tre Johnson has been talked about as another elite proepsect who could play a pivotal role in the rebuild for the Wizards.
However, Johnson may not be the only rookie from the Wizards 2025 NBA Draft class that could change the trajectory of the team's future.
Will Riley's ceiling keeps getting higher
Will Riley was selected in the back half of the first round this past offseason after an impressive freshman season in his role as a sixth man for Illinois.
The oversized guard showed flashes of his scoring ability to pair alongside his versatility, but arguably the most impressive part about his game was his feel and basketball IQ that stood out to the coaching staff in Washington.
To start the season, Riley found himself outside of the Wizards rotation as head coach Brian Keefe navigated his newlook depth chart leading him to try a variety of different lineups.
In the mean time, Riley used his extended minutes in the G-League to turn heads and after a breakout game for the Capital City Go-Go with Keefe in attendance, the playmaker began to hear his number called when the Wizards returned to action,
Answering the call with each of his opportunities, it's become evident that Riley has the potential to be a major upside player in the DMV.
Beyond that, the latest development for Riley is just yet another factor in why fans should have high hopes for the rookie moving forward.
In a recent interview, Riley revealed that he's still growing, which doesn't exactly come as surprise considering he's only 19-years-old.
After stating he's already standing at 6-foot-10 and continuing to deal with growing pains, the Big Ten product made it clear exactly why his growing pains could be major for his career development.
Will Riley says he’s currently 6-foot-10 (!) and could still be growing.
— Bijan Todd (@bijan_todd) December 11, 2025
“I get growing pains every now and then, so I think I could still be growing.”
Says his continued growth can only improve his game 👀 pic.twitter.com/dGuUlIjHbt
If Riley truly is continuing to grow, the Wizards could have their own version of a Jayson Tatum/Kevin Durant-type prospect that could become a major answer in their frontcourt.
Riley's emergence could be major for the Wizards future and if he can become a core piece to the team's rebuild, Washington could be closer to compering in the East sooner rather than later.