Former Illinois wing Will Riley is playing in his second NBA Summer League, and he looks like one of the best players on the floor. The Wizards have played two games, and Riley has emerged as one of the leading scorers in Las Vegas. Through two contests, the former Illini is averaging 25.0 points per game, ranking among the top 10 scorers in the Summer League.

That mark is a significant jump from the 10.5 points per game he averaged during last year's Las Vegas Summer League. Riley appeared in just two games last summer and has already surpassed his total point output from a year ago. In fact, he scored more points in the Wizards' most recent game than he did in both Summer League games combined last year.

The Wizards defeated the Kings 104-85 on Sunday night, with Riley leading all scorers. He finished with 32 points and four assists while shooting 9-for-14 from the field, including an impressive 6-for-8 from three-point range. Washington is now 2-0 and could have an opportunity to compete for the Summer League championship with two more victories. The Wizards will face the Bulls on Tuesday night before taking on Keaton Wagler's Clippers on Wednesday.

Riley has taken a major step forward this Summer League and looks like he has outgrown this level of competition. If his sophomore NBA season goes as expected, it's unlikely he'll be playing in next year's Summer League. The Wizards have plenty of talent, but Riley appears poised to earn a larger role and more minutes in his second season.

Riley spent just one season at Illinois before declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft. The freshman experienced his share of ups and downs in Champaign but still averaged a respectable 12.6 points and 4.1 rebounds while coming off the bench. He was named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year before becoming a first-round pick alongside Illinois teammate Kasparas Jakucionis.

Riley was selected No. 21 overall by the Jazz in the 2025 NBA Draft before being traded to the Wizards on draft night. He averaged 22.1 minutes per game as a rookie and will hopefully see an expanded role in Year 2. Despite averaging fewer than 23 minutes per game, Riley still scored in double figures, averaging 10.3 points while finding his rhythm late in the season.

The former Illini finished the year on a high note, posting an impressive April that included a 30-point performance against the Nets and 31 points against the Heat. Riley scored at least 20 points in 10 games during his rookie campaign.

The Wizards should be much improved this season after adding Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa. Even with a more talented roster, Riley has shown this summer that he deserves a larger role and should get off to a much stronger start than he did as a rookie.