Kentucky Coach Mark Pope Lauds Illinois Star Will Riley After NCAA Loss
Illinois’ season came to a close on Sunday with a 84-75 defeat to Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee. As the Illini look ahead, questions about the future of their roster loom, with both the NBA Draft and the transfer portal likely affecting several players.
One such player is freshman Will Riley, who could potentially be a first-round pick in the NBA Draft this June.
Riley, a highly sought-after recruit from Canada, originally drew interest from Kentucky before ultimately committing to Illinois, choosing the Illini over Alabama and the Wildcats. After visiting those schools last summer, he enrolled at Illinois in Champaign shortly thereafter.
After the game on Sunday, Riley appeared understandably disappointed. However, one of the first to offer him support was Kentucky head coach Mark Pope, who had unsuccessfully pursued Riley’s commitment.
“What an incredible season he had with a great Illinois team,” Pope said about Riley. “A beautiful kid with a beautiful family. And he’s really smart, because he didn’t come play for me.”
Pope also predicted a bright future for the Illinois star.
“He has a huge future as a big-time pro,” Pope added.
Brad Underwood Discusses Roster Retention Amid Transfer Portal Era
In past years, after a team’s NCAA Tournament exit, the focus was on the handful of players leaving for professional opportunities while others prepared to return the following season. Now, with the transfer portal in play, even head coaches can’t always predict which players will remain with their programs.
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood spoke about the uncertainty surrounding his team’s future roster, acknowledging that much of it is beyond his control.
“It’s always about retention,” Underwood said. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of control over that.”
Reflecting on the current season, Underwood shared his enjoyment of coaching this year’s team, despite the challenges.
“Last year, we were very old. I thought we had a group this year that I really enjoyed coaching,” Underwood said.
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