Undoubtedly, UConn forward Liam McNeeley had an underwhelming season for the Huskies. Regardless, McNeeley is still one of the better three-point shooters in the class, especially as a catch-and-shoot guy. That ability to shoot, paired with his good positional size at 6’7″, will have teams interested in drafting the young wing. Let’s dive into an evaluation of Liam McNeeley’s abilities in this 2025 NBA Draft profile.
Liam McNeeley 2025 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
McNeeley played his sole college season with the UConn Huskies, who won back-to-back NCAA championships in the last few years. The freshman forward led the team in points, splashing in threes and taking on a large offensive burden for the team. However, McNeeley’s abilities did not quite fit the expanded role he took on, revealing key weaknesses in his game. Plus, his ankle injury in January didn’t help him either. Nevertheless, McNeeley’s efforts, despite of his shortcomings, helped UConn make the NCAA tournament again, though they were eliminated in the second round.
For the Huskies, McNeeley averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 32.1 minutes per game. He also played in 27 games for UConn, starting in 26 of them. In terms of efficiency, McNeeley shot 38.1% from the field, 31.7% from three, and 86.6% from the line. While McNeeley didn’t have the best season, he still did enough to earn several awards for his efforts. He earned a 2024-2025 All-Big East third team selection, a 2024-2025 Big East All-Freshman selection, and won the 2024-2025 Big East Rookie of the Year award.
Strengths
McNeeley’s best attribute as a player is his ability to be an elite catch-and-shoot floor spacer. While he didn’t shoot the ball well overall on the season, his shooting form is smooth and repeatable. In the right role, McNeeley will see a major increase in his three-point percentage. His ability to shoot is amplified by his off-ball relocation skills. He has demonstrated excellent instincts to move without the ball and find opportunities to get open from three. While not a shot creator, McNeeley can attack closeouts when given the chance and make reads from that. He has been solid as a passer on the wing, quickly making the right passes. He is also a decent ball-handler for a wing, considering the poor-fitting role he had to play with UConn.
On defense, McNeeley’s 6’7″ frame gives him great positional size. Paired with his high basketball IQ and motor, McNeeley won’t be a huge liability on the defensive end. McNeeley is also a good rebounder for a wing, making the effort to crash the boards to secure the rebound.
Weaknesses
Despite having good positional size, McNeeley is an average athlete who lacks great speed and vertical burst. That weakness hampers his abilities on both ends of the floor. On offense, McNeeley’s athletic limitations can make him a below-the-rim finisher who can struggle to beat defenders going to the paint. His lack of speed and burst makes it tough for him to create separation against his defender. Defensively, McNeeley can struggle to stop quicker opponents, especially when guarding in space. He also needs to get stronger, as he can have difficulties against more physical players on both ends. That lack of athleticism put a cap on McNeeley’s overall ceiling as a player.
McNeeley has other issues in his game as well. One concern is that he hasn’t shown three-point consistency in college despite being billed as a wing shooter. Specifically, McNeeley is excellent as a catch-and-shoot player but has struggled when deployed in other shooting contexts, like shooting off the dribble. He will need to expand his shooting prowess to become more dynamic offensively. It’s worth noting that the freshman isn’t much of a shot-creator and will depend on other players to create good looks for him. Additionally, McNeeley is a solid passer for a wing, but he can be turnover-prone.
NBA Comparison
One clear comparison for McNeeley is Washington Wizards wing Corey Kispert. Both share similarities as bigger wings who can offer teams floor-spacing due to their great shooting ability. They are both around 6’7″ and neither are particularly athletic. Neither are defensive stoppers, but they both have high basketball IQ and feel for the game.
2025 NBA Draft Projection
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