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Liam McNeeley

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Liam McNeeley
No. 33 – Charlotte Hornets
PositionSmall forward
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (2005-10-10) October 10, 2005 (age 19)
Richardson, Texas, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeUConn (2024–2025)
NBA draft2025: 1st round, 29th overall pick
Drafted byPhoenix Suns
Playing career2025–present
Career history
2025–presentCharlotte Hornets
Career highlights
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's basketball
FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship
Gold medal – first place 2021 Mexico Team

Liam Thomas McNeeley (born October 10, 2005) is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the UConn Huskies. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class.

Early life and high school career

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McNeeley grew up in Richardson, Texas and initially attended J. J. Pearce High School.[1] He transferred to John Paul II High School in Plano, Texas after his freshman year.[2] McNeeley averaged 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks per game as a sophomore.[3] After the season, McNeeley transferred a second time to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida.[4] He averaged 13.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) competition in his first season at Montverde.[5] McNeeley averaged 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game for his senior year. McNeeley was selected to play in the 2024 McDonald's All-American Boys Game during his senior year.[6]

Recruiting

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McNeeley was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class, according to major recruiting services.[7] He committed to playing college basketball for Indiana after considering offers from Kansas and Texas.[8][9] McNeeley signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play for the Indiana Hoosiers on November 8, 2023, during the early signing period.[10] However, he requested a release from his NLI on March 7, 2024, shortly after Indiana announced that they would retain head coach Mike Woodson.[11] McNeeley committed to UConn on April 26, 2024.[12]

College recruiting information
Name Hometown School Height Weight Commit date
Liam McNeeley
SF / PF 		Richardson, TX Montverde Academy (FL) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Apr 26, 2024 
Recruit ratings: Rivals: 5/5 stars   247Sports: 5/5 stars   ESPN: 5/5 stars   (93)
Overall recruit ranking:    Rivals: 17    247Sports: 10    ESPN: 9
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "UConn 2024 Basketball Commitments". Rivals. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  • "2024 UConn Huskies Recruiting Class". ESPN. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  • "2024 Team Ranking". Rivals. Retrieved May 13, 2025.

College career

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McNeeley enrolled at the University of Connecticut in June 2024 in order to take part in the Huskies' summer practices.[13] He made his college basketball debut on November 6, posting a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Sacred Heart.[14] Three days later, McNeeley recorded 10 points and 11 rebounds against New Hampshire, becoming the first freshman to log back-to-back double-doubles since Corny Thompson in 1978.[15] On November 17, McNeeley earned Big East Freshman of the Week honors for his 15-point performance in a 90–49 victory over Le Moyne.[16][17] After leading the Huskies to a 2-0 week, he was named Big East Freshman of the Week again on December 9, sharing the honor with teammate Alex Karaban.[18] On December 14, McNeeley delivered a dominant performance against No. 8 Gonzaga at Madison Square Garden, scoring 26 points along with eight rebounds and four assists. Following this performance, he earned another Big East Freshman of the Week honor.[19] For the third consecutive week and fourth time overall, McNeeley was named Big East Freshman of the Week on December 23 after helping the team to another 2-0 week.[20][21] On February 11, 2025, McNeely scored a game-high 38 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a win over Creighton, recording the most points by a UConn freshman in conference history.[22][23] On February 17, he was again named Big East Freshman of the Week after averaging team-highs of 24.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.[24] On February 24, McNeeley earned his sixth Big East Freshman of the Week honor after leading the team to a comeback win over Villanova with 20 points and 7 rebounds.[25] After averaging 15.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in a 2-0 week, McNeeley was named Big East Freshman of the Week again on March 3, marking his seventh time receiving the award.[26] On March 11, the conference named McNeeley as the Big East Freshman of the Year.[27]

McNeeley concluded his college career having earned Third Team All-Big East and Big East All-Freshman Team honors.[28][29] On April 1, he declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, foregoing his remaining college eligibility.[30]

Professional career

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Charlotte Hornets (2025-present)

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On June 25, 2025, McNeely was selected with the 29th pick by the Phoenix Suns in the 2025 NBA draft. However, on June 30, 2025, he would have his draft rights traded to the Charlotte Hornets, along with Vasilije Micić and a 2029 first-round pick in exchange for center Mark Williams and a 2029 second-round pick.[31]

National team career

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McNeeley played for the United States national under-16 team at the 2021 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship.[32] He averaged 5.7 points and five rebounds per game as the United States won the gold medal.[33]

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

College

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2024–25 UConn 27 26 32.1 .381 .317 .866 6.0 2.3 .6 .2 14.5

Personal life

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McNeeley's great-grandfather (Gordan Elsey), grandfather (Chuck Elsey), mother (Ashley Elsey), and two of his uncles (Chad Elsey and Josh Ihde) played college basketball.[34]

References

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  1. ^ Insight, Pro (November 30, 2020). "Liam McNeeley Q&A". Pro Insight. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  2. ^ McFarland, Shawn (November 24, 2021). "John Paul II's Liam McNeeley shows why he's a five-star recruit at Dallas Mavericks Fall Classic". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  3. ^ Rabjohns, Jeff (October 10, 2023). "5-star forward Liam McNeeley will announce on Sunday". 247Sports. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  4. ^ "John Paul II five-star recruit Liam McNeeley transfers to Montverde Academy (Fla.)". The Dallas Morning News. June 2, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  5. ^ "KU basketball recruiting: Liam McNeeley will visit Jayhawks". The Kansas City Star. August 29, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  6. ^ "Tre Johnson, Liam McNeeley make 2024 McDonald's All American game". The Dallas Morning News. January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  7. ^ Bedore, Gary (September 6, 2023). "Here's a recruiting update on three high school prospects who visited KU last weekend". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  8. ^ Borzello, Jeff; Biancardi, Paul (October 15, 2023). "Indiana lands commitment from 5-star forward Liam McNeeley". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  9. ^ dvorak, jt (October 15, 2023). "What Liam McNeeley IU commitment says about J.T Dvorak in recruiting". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  10. ^ "Indiana signs Liam McNeely, fourth-highest recruit in program history". The Herald-Times. November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  11. ^ Vecenie, Sam; Rosenstein, Greg; Bass, Tobias (March 7, 2024). "Five-star recruit Liam McNeeley decommits from Indiana, per sources: Why this is disastrous for Hoosiers". The Athletic. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  12. ^ "Hurley, UConn land No. 9 overall recruit McNeeley". ESPN.com. April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  13. ^ "Dan Hurley says UConn's Liam McNeeley can be one of nation's top freshmen, and he'll make it known". Hartford Courant. July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  14. ^ Anthony, Mike. "Why Dan Hurley believes Liam McNeeley's strong UConn men's basketball debut is 'tip of the iceberg'". CT Insider. Archived from the original on June 30, 2025. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  15. ^ "UConn Freshman Wing Becomes First Husky Since 1978 To Accomplish This Feat". Sports Illustrated. November 11, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  16. ^ "Liam McNeeley Named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week". University of Connecticut Athletics. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  17. ^ "UConn Huskies Freshman Named BIG EAST Freshman Of The Week After Plus-27 Game". Sports Illustrated. November 18, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  18. ^ "McNeeley and Karaban Earn BIG EAST Weekly Honors". University of Connecticut Athletics. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  19. ^ "McNeeley Named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week". University of Connecticut Athletics. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  20. ^ "UConn Sweeps Weekly MBB Awards". Big East Conference. December 23, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  21. ^ Doyle, Paul. "UConn men's basketball players Alex Karaban, Liam McNeeley honored with Big East awards". CT Insider. Archived from the original on June 30, 2025. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  22. ^ "McNeeley Goes For 38 and 10, Huskies Win At #24 CU". University of Connecticut Athletics. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  23. ^ Sargeant, Connor (February 12, 2025). "Men's Basketball: Liam McNeeley's 38 points powers UConn over Creighton, 70-66". The Daily Campus. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  24. ^ "McNeeley Named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week". University of Connecticut Athletics. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  25. ^ "McNeeley Repeats As BIG EAST Freshman of the Week". University of Connecticut Athletics. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  26. ^ "McNeeley and Reed Jr. Earn Weekly BIG EAST Honors". University of Connecticut Athletics. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  27. ^ "Liam McNeeley Named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year". University of Connecticut Athletics. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  28. ^ Borges, David. "UConn men's basketball players Solo Ball, Alex Karaban, Liam McNeeley selected for All-Big East teams". CT Insider. Archived from the original on June 30, 2025. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  29. ^ "All-BIG EAST Teams Announced Four Unanimous Picks On First Team". Big East Conference. March 9, 2025. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  30. ^ Stumbaugh, Julia. "Liam McNeeley Declares for 2025 NBA Draft After 1 Season at UConn". Bleacher Report. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  31. ^ "Hornets Acquire The Draft Rights To Liam McNeeley And A Future First-Round Draft Pick From Phoenix". nba.com. June 30, 2025. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  32. ^ "Duncanville's Ron Holland, John Paul II's Liam McNeeley named to USA Basketball U16 national team". The Dallas Morning News. August 16, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  33. ^ Fowler, Chapel (April 2, 2022). "5-star recruits who Duke basketball Jon Scheyer are targeting for 2024". The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  34. ^ Simon, Bryce (July 24, 2023). "Liam McNeeley Looks to Take Family Legacy to Even Greater Heights". SI.com. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
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