Liam McNeeley, 5-Star SF Prospect, Commits to UConn over Kansas, Michigan, More Teams
April 26, 2024
Five-star small forward prospect Liam McNeeley has committed to UConn, he told ESPN's Jonathan Givony.
McNeeley is ranked as the No. 16 prospect overall and No. 3 positionally by 247Sports.
He is additionally ranked as the nation's No. 9 prospect by ESPN.
"It felt like a perfect fit," McNeeley said, per Givony. "There's no reason we can't contend for a three-peat."
McNeeley is a five-star recruit out of Montverde Academy in Florida.
He also considered other schools including Kansas, Kentucky, Houston and Michigan, according to Gary Bedore of the Kansas City Star.
McNeeley was previously committed to Indiana but requested a release in March, per Travis Branham of 247Sports.
His decommitment from the Hoosiers followed the news that head coach Mike Woodson would return to coach a fourth season in 2024-25.
McNeeley will now join Ahmad Nowell and Isaiah Abraham, both four-star prospects, in the 2024 class of UConn commits.
His commitment marks a recruiting victory for Dan Hurley and UConn after the Huskies missed out on top recruit Cooper Flagg, McNeeley's teammate at Montverde.
Flagg visited UConn but ended up choosing Duke in what his father Ralph said on social media was an extremely close decision.
NBA Future Starts Now @nbafuturenowThat Montverde connection 💥<br><br>Liam McNeeley and Cooper Flagg connect for the alley-oop jam!<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanClassic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JordanClassic</a> on the NBA App: <a href="https://t.co/nEfAkhCtXB">https://t.co/nEfAkhCtXB</a> <a href="https://t.co/Acjz6wXGfc">pic.twitter.com/Acjz6wXGfc</a>
UConn was apparently more successful in the school's recruiting visit with McNeeley, who visited Storrs on Monday and Tuesday, per David Borges of CT Insider.
The Huskies were interested in McNeeley prior to his visit because they saw him as a player similar to Alex Karaban, who ranked as one of the 2023-24 team's strongest perimeter shooters while making 5.5 attempts from deep per game, Fox Sports' John Fanta reported.
McNeeley averaged 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists through 33 games in his senior season with Montverde.
He established himself one of high school's strongest three-point shooters by going 68-for-155 (43.9 percent) from deep during Montverde's undefeated season.
UConn is looking to defend back-to-back national titles by rebuilding a roster that could be set to lose all five championship starters, including NBA draft candidates Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan.
McNeeley could have the chance to make a bid for a spot in the new starting lineup if the elite perimeter shooting he demonstrated in Florida translates to the Big East.