Why The Hornets Pick Liam Neeley Slid to No.29

UCONN’s Liam McNeeley was regarded as one of the better freshmen players in the country during his lone season with the two-time defending champions. The former top-10 recruit led the Huskies in scoring (14.5) and was second in rebounds per game (6.0) while shooting nearly 87 percent from the free-throw line.

It took The Big East Freshman of the Year nearly the entire night to hear his name called during the first round of the 2025 NBA draft before he became the 29th overall pick of the Charlotte Hornets. The reasons behind the wait largely stemmed from some flaws within his game.

Why Teams Were Hesitant On Liam McNeeley

For starters, McNeeley isn’t the most athletic wing at his 6’7 size. He generally relies on footwork and off-ball movement to generate positive momentum while driving to the basket or preparing to launch a three-point shot.

He isn’t the best defender either. He lacks burst as an on-ball creator and his three-point percentage waned (31.7 %) while nursing a nagging ankle injury throughout the second half of his freshman campaign. When healthy, McNeeley is a move-shooting wing with secondary playmaking upside, providing a skill set that the Hornets prioritized in this year’s draft.

Kon Knueppel Was The Hornets Other First-Round Pick

Both McNeeley and Duke’s Kon Knueppel were the Hornets’ first-round selections, and each add shooting to a team that lacked it last season. Charlotte finished 28th in three-point percentage during 2024-2025 despite reserve guard Seth Curry leading the league in three-point percentage (45.6) on six threes per game.

“I think I’m a very versatile player and can be plugged into any system,” McNeely said to the press yesterday night after being drafted. “I’ve played many different roles in my career, and I’m going to work my tail off and work as hard as anybody.”

In order to select McNeeley, the Hornets shipped the rights of Center Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns for their 29th pick and a future 2029 first-round selection. For a potential high-floor spacer and offensive connector, the deal has the a chance to be a great value investment.