Archbishop Ryan’s Thomas Sorber and Phelps School’s Will Riley picked in the first round of the NBA draft
Sorber was picked by the reigning NBA champion Thunder, while Riley was part of a trade that landed him with the Wizards.
Two years ago, Thomas Sorber couldn’t conceal his emotion after Archbishop Ryan fell to Imhotep Charter in the PIAA 5A semifinals at Bensalem High School.
His team was one win away from a state championship appearance, and after losing to Roman Catholic in the Catholic League final, it was Ryan’s final chance at achieving a title with one of the best groups in program history.
Tears came down Sorber’s face as his high school season came to a close. And on Wednesday, the 6-foot-10 center showed similar emotions, except the tears he shed inside the Barclays Center during the first round of the NBA draft were ones of happiness.
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After playing one season at Georgetown, where Sorber averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 24 games played, the center was selected by the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder with the 15th overall pick.
He achieved the ultimate dream. After hearing his name called and meeting NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on stage, Sorber told ESPN, “It’s all for you, momma.”
Sorber’s mother, Tenneh, who stood beside her son at the draft, raised her two sons by herself after their father, Peter, died of colon cancer when Thomas was 6 years old. Their parents fled civil war-torn Liberia to move to the United States in the late 1990s.
She made several sacrifices to take care of her family, including working multiple jobs, and steered her son’s path in basketball. She would drive Sorber from their home in Trenton to Philly, Delaware, or wherever he needed to be to play for his AAU and high school team.
Sorber joined the Raiders during his sophomore year. As a senior, he averaged 18.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.8 blocks, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 steals during the 2023-24 season, while also holding more than 20 scholarship offers.
Now, Sorber hopes to return the favor to his mom as the first player from Archbishop Ryan ever drafted by an NBA team.
Will Riley to the Wizards
Will Riley, a Canadian small forward who played at the Phelps School in Chester County, was initially selected by the Utah Jazz with the 21st overall pick, but then was traded to the Washington Wizards.
Riley spent last season at the University of Illinois, where he averaged 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. He was also named the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year.
In high school, the 6-8 Riley was a five-star prospect. He joined the Phelps School in 2022 and reclassify into the class of 2024, forgoing his final season of high school ball to play at the collegiate level.
When he signed with Illinois, Riley was considered the highest-ranked high school recruit to land at the school. Before ever stepping onto a college court, he had interest from NBA scouts and appeared in ESPN’s mock draft as a first-round pick.
It looks like his trajectory came to fruition, as he’s become the first player from Phelps to be drafted in the NBA.
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