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Charlotte's latest roster move has opened the door for a Liam McNeeley break out

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Matt Alquiza | Last updated Nov 4, 2025 7:50 AM ET

Liam McNeeley has become the forgotten member of the Charlotte Hornets' impressive rookie class.

While Kon Knueppel, Sion James, and Ryan Kalkbrenner have drawn headlines, McNeeley continues to scrap for minutes in Charlotte's competitive rotation. After sitting out the Hornets' first two games of the season against Brooklyn and Philadelphia, the 29th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has logged 6, 11, 14, 10, and 9 minutes in the team's last five contests.

His uptick in minutes coincided with Brandon Miller's shoulder injury, and another roster move by Charlotte has cracked opened the door for McNeeley to play even further.

Tidjane Salaun's G-League assignment is a vote of confidence in McNeeley

Although it hasn't popped on the stat sheet quite yet, Liam McNeeley is doing the little things right as he attempts to lock down a consistent role in Charles Lee's ever-changing rotations.

His career-best performance, a six point, four rebound, three assist outing in a loss to the Orlando Magic, showed flashes of the connective, two-way player McNeeley projects to be.

Although he doesn't look or play like a traditional glass-cleaner, McNeeley has been an ace rebounder dating back to his high school days at Montverde Academy. His 18.7 defensive rebound rate at UConn was well above-average for comparable wings in the NCAA, and if he continues that type of production at the NBA level, he'll fit in nicely to a Hornets squad that preaches competitive rebounding as a core tenant.

Like his draftmates Knueppel and James, McNeeley can be trusted to keep the ball moving in the flow of the offense. The majority of McNeeley's seven career assists have come from just that: making the extra pass to extend an advantage created by a teammate that turns a good look for him into a great one for a wide open shooter.

When given the chance to attack the rim, the former Husky plays with supreme physicality and seeks out contact in the restricted area. He's a solid driver of the basketball in a straight line who will draw free throws through sheer force of will.

The best word to describe McNeeley on offense is trustworthy. He plays within the context of Charlotte's overall team structure and is a reliable option that Charles Lee has been able to play in a pinch when injuries or foul trouble limit his options.

Now that Tidjane is headed north to Greensboro, McNeeley will get an extended look from the coaching staff to see if he can turn those flashes into consistent outputs against NBA competition.

It won't always be perfect for McNeeley. It never is for a rookie. He'll struggle in one-on-one defensive situations and his three-point shot may continue to betray him (although he cashed his first career long-range hit on Sunday night), but the floor Liam provides Charlotte even as a young player is high.