Illinois Freshman Will Riley Featured In New Gatorade Campaign Ad

Shandel Richardson | Aug 5, 2024

Mar 30, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts against the Connecticut Huskies in the finals of the East Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Illinois freshman Will Riley is one of the nation's most popular newcomer college basketball players.

So, naturally, companies are trying to snatch him up for endorsement deals. It appears Gatorade struck first by featuring Riley in its "Is It In You" Vlog series. The video follows Riley leading up to him announcing he would attend Illinois.

He picked the Illini over schools such as Kentucky, Alabama and Arizona.

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Riley made the decision in late June, becoming the Illini's highest-rated recruit in recent memory. He is considered a one-and-done talent. Several mock NBA drafts already have him going in the first round next summer.

Riley is already impressing since arriving on campus.

The 6-foot-8, 180-pound Riley is spending most of the summer trying to bulk up. The Illini want him to add a few pounds before facing the physical play at the Division I level, especially in the Big Ten.

Despite the NBA attention, the Illini are set to enjoy Riley for however long he chooses to remain in college. He can play both backcourt positions and small forward.

"It was just a great fit," Illini coach Brad Underwood said. "I think in terms of what we were looking for, he's a very, very talented offensive player. He's a young man who scores at all three levels. I would say the definition of position-less is him. He's shown that he can be an elite playmaker, shooter off the bounce, finisher."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Illinois Fighting Illini On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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