I remember when Riley first came on to the Iowa recruiting radar, I was skeptical at first glance. Now nearly a year later, my expectations for him are much, much higher:
1. Really great athleticism for a kid of his stature and age. Typically guys like this are projects that reap benefits down the road. If he continues to grow, develop his strength, and improve his game he's a plug and play as a freshman IMO.
2. He's a good leaper and runs the floor well for a kid who's nearly 7 feet, that's not very commonly seen.
3. Decent handles, footwork and technique in the post, he's got a great foundation to build on there.
4. Aggressive to the hole, defends the rim very effectively and for the most part plays sound defense in that role.
5. Better shooting form than some of our current Hawkeyes, high release point, decent passer, good hands and nice touch when scoring inside. If he develops a reliable outside shot, look the hell out.
I'm going to make a fearless prediction that this kid could make a bigger impact than Luka did in his first couple of years at Iowa. Where he finishes in his career at Iowa in comparison to Luka is going to be largely up to him and the work he puts in. He appears to have a bigger upside athletically than Luka did as a recruit.
Welcome Riley, Hawkeye Nation is glad to have you onboard!
