Blazers Draft Rumors: Portland Lands Another UConn Star in Latest Mock

The Portland Trail Blazers hold the No. 11 pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, giving the team another chance to add more young talent. While it has been rumored that Portland could look to move the pick to help set up a bigger deal, there will likely be some interesting options if they keep the pick.

In a new mock draft by Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports, the Trail Blazers grab another star from the University of Connecticut. O'Connor has Portland taking forward Liam McNeeley from the Huskies.

"The Trail Blazers could be targeting a shooter with this pick after ranking 24th in 3-point percentage and in the middle of the pack in attempts last season. McNeeley is a sharpshooting wing with superb instincts moving without the ball and the touch to splash from deep ranges. Though he doesn’t project as a primary shot creator, his feel as a connective passer gives him the skill to fit into any type of offense."

McNeeley would be a slam dunk for the Trail Blazers in this spot, giving them more wing depth across the roster. In one year with the Huskies, McNeeley averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.

While the Huskies didn't win the NCAA title this past season, McNeeley was still coached by Dan Hurley. Hurley is generally seen as one of the better coaches in the college game today, so McNeeley should enter the NBA ready to go.

If the Trail Blazers went down this path, it would mark the second straight season that the team grabbed a player from UConn. Portland selected center Donovan Clingan with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and he has turned out to be very productive so far.

Portland almost made the postseason this past year, so this offseason will be spent trying to get the team over the hump. The Trail Blazers front office has a lot of work to do, but the draft should be a key piece to the puzzle for the team.

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