UConn freshman wing Liam McNeeley, a projected lottery pick, will enter the 2025 NBA draft, he told ESPN on Tuesday.
McNeeley, the No. 14 prospect in ESPN's NBA draft projections, was named Big East Freshman of the Year and All-Big East Third Team after averaging 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season.
"It's been a dream of mine to play in the NBA," McNeeley told ESPN. "I've been waiting a long time for this moment. I'm so thankful and grateful to have been a part of UConn, to have played for these coaches and alongside these teammates. We had so much fun, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
"My goal was to win a national championship. That didn't happen, but I learned so much as a player and person during my time there."
McNeeley had several huge performances this season, demonstrating his credentials as a lottery-level talent for UConn. He posted 38 points and 10 rebounds in an important road win at Creighton in February, and 26 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in a win over Gonzaga at Madison Square Garden. His season ended in the NCAA tournament round of 32 at the hands of No. 1 seed Florida, with McNeeley scoring 22 points against one of the top teams in college basketball. He missed eight games over a five-week stretch with an ankle injury starting in early January.
"Playing for Danny Hurley was the best thing that could have happened to me. He is very intense and forced me to operate outside my comfort zone and get better as a player and person," McNeeley said.
"NBA teams saw that I'm a real competitor. I bring toughness. I can space the floor and shoot, play-make a little. I'm a guy who will have a hard nose and do the dirty work. Someone who will do everything he can to win."
At 6-foot-7, the 19-year-old's size, shotmaking prowess, feel for the game and toughness are all important attributes that NBA teams value at the wing position.
He did not shoot the ball as consistently this season (32%) as scouts may have hoped. He was regarded as one of the best perimeter shooters in his high school class after hitting 46% of his 3-pointers for an undefeated Montverde Academy team that also featured projected lottery picks Cooper Flagg (Duke) and Derik Queen (Maryland).
"There were ups and downs," McNeeley said. "Good moments and bad ones. I am planning to work on the weak spots of my game. The next few months will be straight work. I'll be putting my head down and getting in the gym. Getting ready for the draft and the NBA combine. It will be fun, but also hard work."
The NBA draft combine will be held May 11-18 in Chicago, and the draft will be June 25-26 in New York.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.