Jakucionis and Riley Selected Back-to-Back in First Round of 2025 NBA Draft

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 Will Riley


Kasparas Jakucionis


 
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– History was made for Fighting Illini Basketball on Wednesday night, as freshmen Kasparas Jakucionis (Vilnius, Lithuania) and Will Riley (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) became the first-ever one-and-done players for the Illinois program.

The Illini stars were selected back-to-back in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, with Jakucionis taken at No. 20 overall by the Miami Heat and Riley going to the Washington Wizards the very next pick at No. 21 as part of a trade with Utah.

Illinois stands as one of just three programs with multiple first-round picks in this year's draft, along with Duke (3) and Rutgers (2).

This marks the first time in 20 years, and just the third time in school history, that Illinois has had two first-round picks in the same draft, joining 1989 (Nick Anderson and Kenny Battle) and 2005 (Deron Wiliams and Luther Head).

Illinois has now had four players selected in the NBA Draft during Head Coach Brad Underwood's tenure, with Jakucionis and Riley following Ayo Dosunmu in the second round in 2021 (Chicago Bulls) and Terrence Shannon Jr. in last year's first round (Minnesota Timberwolves).

Illinois' total of three first-round picks over the last two drafts leads the Big Ten and ranks second nationally behind Duke (4) and tied with Baylor and UConn.

Jakucionis led the Illini in scoring and assists, averaging 15.2 ppg and 4.7 apg, and was third on the team in rebounding at 5.7 rpg. He equaled the most points ever scored by an Illini freshman, totaling 494 during his 33 starts, and set UI rookie season records shooting 84.5% from the free throw line and tallying eight 20-point games. Jakucionis was a Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection, first-team NABC All-Great Lakes District, second-team All-Big Ten by AP, third-team All-Big Ten by the league coaches and media, and he was most recently named Illinois Freshman of the Year.

Riley, meanwhile, averaged 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists while playing in all 35 games. He registered double figures in 13 of the final 15 games, averaging 15.9 ppg over that stretch with five 20-point performances. Riley burst onto the scene by scoring 31 points vs. Eastern Illinois to set the Illini freshman debut scoring record. His instant offense for much of the season came from off the bench, culminating in his selection as Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year by the league coaches.

Jakucionis and Riley helped lead Illinois to a 22-win season, NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance, and final ranking of 17th in kenpom.



University of Illinois Athletics Press Release

Images Copyright Alan Look, All Rights Reserved

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