The son of Georgetown All-American Reggie Williams, Riyan Williams was a three year walk-on to the Georgetown team.

Williams played at Archbishop Carroll HS, where Reggie once served as basketball coach. "It was a hard experience," Williams remarked in a 2013 interview. "My dad and I bump heads on the court sometimes and then that occasionally would translate to home. So, it was kind of hard, but I looked past that and worked hard to get to the point where I could potentially walk on at a great school, especially trying to follow in his footsteps."

After his freshman year, Williams tried out for the team and won a place as a walk-on alongside fellow sophomore David Allen. The two saw little time over the next two seasons, but when Allen did not return to the team in 2015-16, Williams was the lone walk-on for the Hoyas.

"I look up to my dad so much, in all aspects of life, as a teacher, father, mentor and everything. So being able to put on the same jersey that he wore years ago, hypothetically, would be the greatest thing ever. It would honestly be the happiest day of my life. Even if I never played a minute for this school it would be great to put on the same jersey and rep the same school that my father helped raise a banner for."

Following graduation in 2016, Riyan exercised a post-graduate year of eligibility at Division II Goldey-Beacom College in Wilmington, DE, leading the Lightning with a 14.3 points per game average and shooting 51.3 percent from the floor. With his MBA, he is now a budget analyst with the Catholic University of America.