Dan Hurley Sends Heartwarming Message to Liam McNeeley After NBA Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dean Koutouratsas | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 5:10 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets drafted forward Liam McNeeley from the UConn Huskies with the No. 29 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday, and his former coach couldn’t be more proud.

Dan Hurley, the Huskies' head coach, attended his former player’s big night alongside the McNeeley family and recorded a short video, which he posted on his Instagram account.

“Special guy,” Hurley wrote in the caption. “Great skill set with the highest level of character and professionalism.”

McNeeley, who stands at 6 feet 7 inches and weighs 210 pounds, played one season under Hurley at UConn. In 27 games played and 32.1 minutes of playing time, he averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He helped the Huskies reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they lost 77-75 to the eventual National Champion Florida Gators.

“Going to have a long and incredibly successful NBA career,” Hurley concluded.

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A post shared by Dan Hurley (@coachdanhurley)

McNeeley joins a Hornets team composed of All-Star guard LaMelo Ball and forward Brandon Miller. Charlotte also drafted Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel with the No. 4 overall pick to help add more length to their roster, which nearly went a league-worst 19-63 last season.

Furthermore, they acquired the 29th pick, which they used to acquire McNeeley by trading center Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns, according to NBA insider Shams Charania. The Hornets also received a 2029 first-round pick out of the trade.

29th pick goes to Charlotte in this trade: Liam McNeeley. https://t.co/7eMqTmSPjS
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2025

Although their record wasn’t stellar this season, with Knueppel and McNeeley added to the rotation, the Hornets could improve and develop into a potential playoff team.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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