UConn Inks Five-Star Liam McNeeley To NLI
STORRS – The back-to-back national champion UConn men's basketball team has announced the signing of five-star Liam McNeeley to a National Letter of Intent. McNeeley will join the Huskies as a freshman for the 2024-25 campaign.
"Liam is one of the best players in high school basketball, and we are tremendously excited to add him to our UConn family," head coach Dan Hurley said. "He is blessed with elite skill and positional size, along with the championship pedigree that we so value at Connecticut. Liam has the potential to be a star here."
A 2024 McDonald's All-American and consensus top-20 prospect, McNeeley becomes one of the five-highest rated recruits in UConn history and the second-highest in the Hurley era. In the ESPN 100 rankings he checks in at No. 9, the highest rating for a Husky recruit per that service since Andre Drummond in 2011. He is the 13th McDonald's All-American to sign with UConn out of college and first since 2023 McDonald's All-American Stephon Castle.
McNeeley is a 6-7 wing originally from Richardson, Texas. He spent two years at high school in Texas at Pearce HS in Richardson and John Paul II in Plano. As a sophomore he helped John Paul II to a 6A state title and earned Texas All-State honors.
For his junior season McNeeley transferred to national power Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla. and led the squad in scoring in 2022-23. As a senior in 2023-24 he helped the Eagles to a first place finish at 2024 Chipotle Nationals and an undefeated campaign. At the 2024 Jordan Brand Classic he was named MVP of Team Air, scoring 25 points and knocking down five 3-pointers.
McNeeley also has national team experience, playing with the U16 United States national team at the 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and helping USA to a gold medal. On the AAU circuit, McNeeley played with Drive Nation. He led the 2022 U16 Nike EYBL circuit with over 24 points per game.
McNeeley becomes the fourth current member of UConn's 2024-25 incoming class. He joins fellow rising freshmen Ahmad Nowell and Isaiah Abraham along with Michigan transfer and rising junior Tarris Reed Jr.
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Players Mentioned
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