Liam McNeeley Drafted by Hornets as NBA Fans Celebrate Flagg, Montverde 4 in 1st Round
After a strong freshman season at UConn, Liam McNeeley is officially on his way to the NBA.
The small forward was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 29 pick during Wednesday's NBA draft.
While McNeeley wasn't one of the stars of this year's draft, he should be able to make an immediate impact for his new squad.
Notably, the Hornets' selection of McNeeley means that four former Montverde Academy players have been selected in the first round. The other three include Cooper Flagg, Derik Queen and Asa Newell.
Flagg was taken first overall by the Dallas Mavericks, Queen went to the Atlanta Hawks at No. 13 and was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans and the Pelicans took Asa Newell at No. 23 before trading him to the Hawks.
Needless to say, the class of 2024 at Montverde had some serious talent, and they'll look to continue representing their school well at the next level.
McNeeley was brought to tears when talking about how proud he is of his former teammates.
McNeeley was a 5-star prospect and the No. 18 player in the class of 2024, according to 247Sports Composite.
He was immediately the star of a Huskies squad looking to win a third straight national championship. While UConn fell short of that goal, McNeeley established himself as an NBA-ready player.
He put up 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, showing off his scoring ability with a 38-point outing against Creighton and displaying consistency all year.
It's hard to say whether McNeeley will turn into a star in the NBA, but there's no question he can be a reliable option for the Hornets, and he'll look to start strong in Year 1.
