Big Ten Basketball: Top 10 impact freshmen for 2024-25 season
No. 6: Will Riley (Illinois)
Originally in the 2025 recruiting class, Will Riley decided to reclassify up and join Brad Underwood's Fighting Illini a year early. Riley, a six-foot-eight small forward, was originally a five-star before the reclass but is now widely considered to be a four-star.
Riley adds a level of shot-making to this Illinois team that will always be welcome. With excellent size and length, Riley can shoot over defenders, and finish above the rim. By using his length, he excels at crafty finishes around the rim, using unorthodox moves to get good looks around the basket.
Riley is being inserted on an Illinois team losing all but two players from last year's Elite Eight team. An influx of talent is needed to replace guys like Marcus Domask and Terrance Shannon Jr., and a five-star talent like Riley will be a massive addition. Riley projects to be the second option on a team that features multiple projected lottery picks (Riley being one of them). His play style next to fellow high-level talent Kasparas Jakucionas will be inredibly important for the Illini's season.
No. 5: Daniel Freitag (Wisconsin)
With the departure of Chucky Hepburn and AJ Storr, Wisconsin will likely turn to returning guards Max Klesmit and John Blackwell. But a third guard could emerge as a crucial piece for the Badgers.
Daniel Freitag enters the fold as a six-foot-three point guard who can score at will. Averaging almost 29 points per game in his junior year of high school, Freitag has an innate ability to get downhill and score at the rim. The freshman has explosive athleticism that allows him to play above the rim.
While not being a particular strength, Freitag's shooting is above average. This allows him not to be a space issue while playing off-ball. Freitag has developed his playmaking nicely, which should also help the young guard play both on and off-ball for the Badgers.
A backcourt that only mainly features three guards requires all three guards to produce. Freitag will have ample opportunity to play, and Wisconsin will likely need him to produce in those opportunities.