Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Liam McNeeley stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 29th pick by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

UConn Star Liam McNeeley Crowned Early NBA Champion

Originally posted on UConn Huskies on SI
By Seth Orlemann | Last updated Jul 21, 2025 11:17 AM ET

Liam McNeeley was a one-hit wonder for the UConn Huskies. In one season with the team, the 6-foot-7, 210 pound forward played in 27 games, averaging 14.5 points per game and 6 rebounds per game. He led the Huskies to a 24-11 overall record, finishing 3rd in the Big East with a 14-6 conference record.

McNeeley was drafted with the 29th pick in the NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, by way of trade from the Phoenix Suns. The Hornets made a lot of key moves in the draft including selecting Kon Knueppel out of Duke with the 4th overall pick and Ryan Kalkbrenner out of Creighton with the 34th overall pick.

The Hornets put together an impressive Summer League run with their young squad. McNeeley, who's summer outing was cut short due to an achilles injury, started off his NBA career on a very solid note. In 2 games, he averaged 18 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Unfortunately, the injury caused him to miss the final 4 games of the Summer League.

The Hornets remained hot after his absense, going undefeated and winning the Summer League Championship Sunday. McNeeley took to X/Twitter to voice his excitement:

LFGGGG #HIVE https://t.co/ISS4bhy6My
— liammcneeley (@liammcneeley30) July 21, 2025

Knueppel led the way for the Hornets, scoring a team-high 21 points in an 83-78 victory over the Sacramento Kings in the championship game that was played at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas on Sunday night. Kneuppel was named the championship game MVP. Kalkbrenner added 15 points and 9 rebounds in the win.

While the Summer League is just a small blip in the NBA season, it is an incredible way for the young stars, including McNeeley, to start their professional careers. The team showed a lot of promise with each player stepping up in unexpected ways. As for his injury, the team shut McNeeley down out of an abundance of precaution; it should not affect his ability to play when the regular season commenses in a few months.

This article first appeared on UConn Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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