UConn Star’s Draft Stock Still Strong Despite ESPN Ranking Slide

The 2025 NBA Draft class is set, which means we’re just a few weeks away from seeing where UConn Huskies standout shooter Liam McNeeley will land at the next level.

ESPN updated its top 100 prospects list now that the withdrawal deadline has passed. Somewhat surprisingly, McNeeley actually dropped in those rankings, though it was just one spot from No. 16 to No. 15 overall.

Nonetheless, ESPN NBA analyst Jeremy Woo mentioned that McNeeley did improve his draft stock by simply showing up to the NBA Combine healthy after dealing with an ankle injury. He also tested better than expected. Still, the ranking is fairly in line with his draft stock since most mock drafts land him just outside of the lottery picks. 

McNeeley, who stands 6-foot-8 in uniform, is, of course, known best for his shooting abilities. While he lacked consistency and efficiency in his lone season at UConn, the 19-year-old still projects as a solid wing player at the next level.

While he shot just 31% from three and 38% from the field in his freshman season with the Huskies, he was among the top shooters at the NBA Combine and still carries an impressive three-point shooting percentage from his final season of high school ball at 43.9%. Whichever team selects McNeeley will expect him to find better consistency across his game, but especially the skill that brought him to the dance.

He may not be the hottest commodity in the draft, but he is drawing interest from at least one team a bit higher in the selection order. The Portland Trailblazers, who currently hold the No. 11 overall pick, hosted McNeeley for a pre-draft workout, the team announced on Thursday.

We’ll find out where McNeeley lands in the first round when the 2025 NBA Draft begins Wednesday, June 25, from the Barclays Center on ABC and ESPN.