CEDAR CITY, Utah – Southern Utah men's basketball continues its player introduction series with junior forward Juok Riak, a 6-foot-8 presence who brings collegiate experience and an efficient scoring touch to the Thunderbirds for the 2026-27 season.
A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Riak joined Southern Utah after two seasons at Drury University, where he established himself as a productive offensive player before making the move to Division I basketball.
An Efficient Scorer
Riak made an immediate impact during his freshman campaign at Drury in 2023-24, averaging 13.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 19 appearances, including 16 starts.
His efficiency stood out, as he connected on 60.3 percent of his field-goal attempts while averaging just over 21 minutes per contest.
One of his most impressive performances came against Trevecca Nazarene on Nov. 11, 2023, when he poured in a season-high 28 points on 10-of-11 shooting.
Riak followed that performance with another productive season in 2024-25, appearing in 22 games with 13 starts. He averaged 12 points, two rebounds and two assists per game while shooting 53 percent from the floor and 36 percent from beyond the arc.
Returning to the Court
After missing the 2025-26 season due to injury, Riak returns to action for the Thunderbirds this year.
The junior made an appearance in Southern Utah's 78-65 exhibition victory against Ottawa University Arizona on Monday, Oct. 12, playing 14 minutes and contributing three assists and a rebound.
His combination of size, experience and shooting efficiency provides Southern Utah with another option in the frontcourt as the Thunderbirds prepare for their return to Big Sky Conference competition.
Before beginning his collegiate career, Riak attended Madison La Follette High School in Wisconsin and later played at We Are United Prep in Missouri.
At We Are United Prep, he averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds per game, continuing a basketball journey that has taken him from Wisconsin to Missouri, Drury University and now Cedar City.
Wearing No. 11 for Southern Utah, Riak is looking to make his mark as the Thunderbirds prepare for the 2026-27 campaign.
Watch Juok Riak's introduction video to get to know one of the Thunderbirds' returning frontcourt players.
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