Cricket Sport

Liam McNeeley, a top-10 recruit and the best available high school prospect in the 2024 class, has committed to UConn, he told ESPN.

"It felt like a perfect fit," McNeeley said. "Coach Hurley is a hard-nosed coach. That's the kind of coach I thrive under. The offensive system they run is perfect for my game. The culture of the team. The sets they run. They are going to help me get better on both sides of the ball. The whole coaching staff are good people."

McNeeley, a 6-foot-7 wing from Richardson, Texas, picked the Huskies over Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Michigan and others. He was previously committed to Indiana, but requested his release last month.

McNeeley, ESPN's No. 9 prospect in the class of 2024, was named a McDonald's All American after helping Montverde Academy to a perfect 33-0 season that culminated in a win in the championship game of the Chipotle High School Nationals earlier this month. He was Montverde's third-leading scorer this season behind fellow top-10 recruits Cooper Flagg and Derik Queen.

McNeeley is considered arguably the best perimeter shooter in his class. He is a significant weapon running off screens and pulling up off the dribble, converting 45% of his 3-pointers this season on more than five attempts per game. McNeeley, who dished out three times as many assists as turnovers, also keeps defenses honest with his ability to attack the basket and find teammates on the move, and he is a highly competitive defender. He was a projected lottery pick in ESPN's first 2025 mock draft, released in January.

"I definitely progressed throughout this season," McNeeley said. "The whole staff at Montverde and Coach [Kevin] Boyle pushed me to be more than just a shooter. My teammates trusted me to make big plays in big games. I hope that carries on to UConn now."

McNeeley is joining a UConn squad that will be reloading again after winning back-to-back national championships, the first team to do so since Florida in 2006-07.

"My main goal is to win a national championship," McNeeley said. "UConn is on a roll right now. They've gone back-to-back, so there's no reason we can't contend for a three-peat."

Veteran guards and leading scorers Cam Spencer and Tristen Newton have both exhausted their NCAA eligibility, while underclassmen Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan are off to the NBA ranks as projected top-10 picks. Starting power forward Alex Karaban is testing the NBA draft waters, currently projected as a second-round pick.

McNeeley joins four-star prospects Ahmad Nowell and Isaiah Abraham in UConn's recruiting class. The Huskies also added Michigan's Tarris Reed in the transfer portal.

"UConn has won without five-stars," McNeeley said. "They've developed their players and made it work no matter what. That's what I'm expecting next year."

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.