The Washington Wizards rough season has been filled with the development of young prospects that have allowed for optimism to seep in despite their abysmal record at the bottom of the NBA standings.
One of the team's biggest success stories has come from rookie standout Will Riley, who's emerged as one of the most fascinating playmakers to watch for Washington over the course of the last couple of months.
The Illinois product has been not only one of the best rookies on the Wizards' roster as of late, but one of the best in the league over the last couple of months.
Riley's breakout down the stretch of the season for Washington has caught the attention of plenty of people around the league, one of which being NBA Draft Analyst Sam Vecenie, who admitted his late arrival to the hype train.
The most recent person to acknowledge the rookie's impressive stretch is Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George, who gave him an NBA comp that fans in D.C. should be ecstatic about.
Paul George compares Will Riley to himself
Following the Sixers recent win over the Wizards, recently re-instated star forward Paul George went on record to say just how impressed he was with Riley in the matcup.
The 35-year-old veteran didn't just give a brief comment on the first-year man, but he went as far as to compare the wing to himself, which alone should excite fans.
"He's good. He got a bright future, I love his aggressiveness... he can do a lot of things... I see a lot of myself in him," George told Wizards reporter Jarrett L.
And when you really think about it, there may not be a better pro comparison for Riley, who's game is very similar to George's.
Riley's game resembles PG's
Riley's offensive skillset has been one of the most eye-opening strengths of his game this season.
The oversized guard is incredibly crafty with the ball, he's patient and can willingly get to his spot whenever he chooses.
The former first-round pick is a smooth ball handler, with incredibly high IQ and the versatility to not only finish around the rim, but make defenses pay with his soft touch as a jump shooter, eerily similar to George.
Averaging 14+ points per game over each of the last two months, Riley has had a breakthrough, and with a pivotal offseason ahead, the former Big Ten standout could be headed for a sophomore leap.