Riley
- Thread starter BucN1Cat
- Start date
I know a few weeks ago Pope mentioned maybe someone could RS. I'm with you not wanting Riley to go somewhere else. Just concerned about the minute distribution a little with all the older guys mentally and physically ready to go.
It's just my opinion so it may not be worth much but I think NIL changes everything with regard to redshirting. If you don't make much as a freshman and you don't play much your sophomore season will be the same but if you redshirt and play well as a redshirt freshman you can make a lot in your sophomore season. I think Noah will redshirt because I see him as a stretch 4 in college and he needs more upper body strength. I also think Perry will redshirt if Butler and Kriisa are both healthy even though I think he's plenty good enough to play this year. If we add another top player like Riley decisions will have to be made because, while Pope can and will go 10 deep, the 11th guy isn't going to see anything but garbage time minutes and that can go to the 2nd five and walkons.
Some guys, and Osobor comes to mind, will make more money playing in college than they ever are likely to make as a pro so maximizing your potential college earnings makes sense to me and I don't think it would be that hard a sell for a coach when the player is likely to not be in the regular rotation.
I'm a little perplexed about Will Riley. Granted, I have not done a tremendous amount of research on him. I've only seen his supposed measurements and watch the myriad of highlight videos available for him.
Perhaps this has already been discussed, but I see him listed at 6' 9". In the videos I've seen, he looks nowhere near that tall. I would guess 6' 4", maaaaybe 6' 5". Is this just an optical illusion? Are they giving him 4 more inches due to pile of curly long hair on top of his head?
I don't know... just seemed odd. I expected to see what I consider to be a big man with deep range and guard skills when I went to check the video. Instead I saw what looked like a guard with deep range and guard skills.
Perhaps this has already been discussed, but I see him listed at 6' 9". In the videos I've seen, he looks nowhere near that tall. I would guess 6' 4", maaaaybe 6' 5". Is this just an optical illusion? Are they giving him 4 more inches due to pile of curly long hair on top of his head?
I don't know... just seemed odd. I expected to see what I consider to be a big man with deep range and guard skills when I went to check the video. Instead I saw what looked like a guard with deep range and guard skills.
Well, we all know you can't put a lot of stock in listed heights but I thought he looked a legit 6'8". Maybe we were looking from different angles? lol
Could be wrong, but I don’t see Riley coming here in for this season. If he stays in ‘25 he might. UK has little room left this season, but should have a ton of room for next season, with us losing 7 players. If Coach doesn’t fill the last spot, we could have 8 spots to fill next year. I think 5-6 will be Freshmen and Riley should be one of the top Freshmen we sign, if he wants to come here.
Sisk said Illinois wasn’t in the picture for Riley until just recently and that Antigua is the reason they’re in it. Sure would have been nice to keep him. Smfh…
Uhh absolutely hell yes we want him on this roster. Hes a 6’9 guard that can shoot and score and all 3 levels. He’d most likely start. Him at the 3 with Robinson at the 2 would be nasty. He’s the one thing we are missing and would potentially give us a go to guy late in games and a 2nd big scoring threat. We don’t have a guy like him on the roster.
Last year UConn had a roster full of older guys but they brought in 5 star Stephon Castle. He started for them ahead of the older guys and played a key role in their title and is now looking at being drafted in the top 10. I feel like Riley could be our Castle. He would take us from being good with a chance to compete for an SEC title to great with a legit chance to compete for the national title.
Uhh absolutely hell yes we want him on this roster. Hes a 6’9 guard that can shoot and score and all 3 levels. He’d most likely start. Him at the 3 with Robinson at the 2 would be nasty. He’s the one thing we are missing and would potentially give us a go to guy late in games and a 2nd big scoring threat. We don’t have a guy like him on the roster.
Last year UConn had a roster full of older guys but they brought in 5 star Stephon Castle. He started for them ahead of the older guys and played a key role in their title and is now looking at being drafted in the top 10. I feel like Riley could be our Castle. He would take us from being good with a chance to compete for an SEC title to great with a legit chance to compete for the national title.
He's that guy some people referred to as a "dude". He can get his own shot as well as hit the open shot(with DEEP range). He also has uncommon body control while in the air and a wide array of shots.
For some reason I see him somewhere else. I think I saw his weight at 180 (may be wrong on that) and will need to put on some weight.
If Coach can convince him to come this year, that would be incredible.
If he pulls a Castle and is a legit starter, then we have some serious firepower. Pope definitely has to play 10 guys and has to find meaningful minutes for all 10.
He may have to (dare I say it) platoon.
G Butler/Kriisa
G Robinson/Oweh
G Riley/Brea
F Carr/Almonor
F Williams/Garrison
That’s a contender, if Riley is good enough to keep guys like Brea and Oweh out of a starting spot.
It will be interesting to see what happens. His imminent decision on the reclass will say a lot about his personality.
I'd personally love to finish out with my high school teammates that I'd grown up with, but Riley attends an all-boys school called the Phelps School in PA. Not sure I'd want to stick around in that type of environment if I didn't have to. It's not like his classmates have been attending school with him for years.
If he reclasses, he can make some extra NIL (maybe $150,000), and get paid about $10,000/month while learning from seasoned veteran players at UK. Zero pressure to perform at a high level. Learn the game. Develop physically.
It makes a lot more sense than returning to an all-boys prep school.
Imma have to wait for a photo of him standing next to Pope during his visit to make a determination. However, everyone has been debating how tall Pope really is these days from various photos, so who knows?!? LOL
Of course you take him if you can get him. I swear I don’t even know how to react to some of these posts anymore! If he doesn’t have a superstar year this year he’s going to next season so it’s a win for him and us. Can learn from the most seasoned veterans we’ve had in a long time while also pushing them for time on the court. Worst case, he’s a Hell of a player to start next season with and with our other guys who’ll come back , all with a season under their belt in Popes system, we can’t lose. I’d expect him to be playing 20 minutes a game by the end of the year if he did in fact come here. Definitely has some things to work on, shot selection, strength ect, but what a staff to train under!!
I think the concern is, he doesn't have a superstar season and still bolts for the NBA afterwards, thus wasting NIL money that could be used on someone who will actually help us.
Someone else said this in another thread but it’s a great point: would love to see Riley this season because he could play a Ron Mercer type role and develop over the season and breakout during tournament time.
Unlike under the former coach, Riley as a freshman would not be forced to carry the team on his shoulders. Bring him along slowly without the pressure of being the guy from day one.
Unlike under the former coach, Riley as a freshman would not be forced to carry the team on his shoulders. Bring him along slowly without the pressure of being the guy from day one.
If Riley comes somebody will leave and I don’t see pope doing that. I would love to have Riley here but I don’t see it working out with 10 guys already expecting mins. Chandler is going to be a lot better than people expect and will be good, also Oweh and butler will take big leaps in an offense first system.
My only problem with this is it's really hard to get chemistry. It hasn't worked since our 38-0 season really.
I think it'll be more like 26 minutes for the best five and one bench guy getting 14 mpg and two guys getting about 10 mpg and a couple getting 18 mpg. The only problem with Calipari's platoon was that he was giving the 2 fives equal minutes and the 1st and 2nd five weren't equal and won't be this year either.
His visit is ongoing. It's from June 4th-6th, then goes to Alabama afterwards.
Just heard from my contacts in the craft center and he hasn't seen will Riley Yet, doesn't think he's there, but due to arrive
Yes. Almost every re-class guy we've gotten has been returning to their original class. Lately we've missed with Onyenso, Sharpe, Askew, and Clarke - but a few of the reclass guys were multiyear players like Hagans, Juzang, Humphries - and we hit gold with our first three - Noel, Towns, Murray.
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