Liam McNeeley: Three Thoughts on Indiana's Latest Commitment
Mike Woodson got his man as five-star small forward Liam McNeeley committed to Indiana on Sunday. McNeeley is the first commitment of the Hoosiers 2024 class.
This commitment is coming off a three-man 2023 class that ranked No. 16 in the On3 Basketball Industry Comparison Rankings.
Let’s go through what Indiana is getting in their latest commitment.
Who is Liam McNeeley?
Liam McNeeley, a 6-foot-7, 205-pound wing, is the No. 20 player in the 2024 On3 150 and the No. 6 small forward in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. The five-star chose Indiana over Kansas and a handful of other programs.
In twenty-five games with nationally ranked Montverde (FL) Montverde Academy last season, McNeeley averaged a team-high 12.4 points on 44.8 percent shooting from three. This summer, playing with the Florida Rebels program on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, McNeeley averaged 15.8 points and shot 41.7 percent from three during the regular season.
“I try to be as versatile as I can,” McNeeley told On3. “I stretch the floor, obviously watching me with Montverde; I can shoot the three. I’ll also put it on the floor to create for my teammates and sometimes get to the rim. I watch a lot of Luka Doncic; he is my favorite player on my favorite team. I like his ability to create opportunities, and I think he’s the best passer in the league.”
What does he bring to Indiana?
The shooting. Liam McNeeley is one of the premier spot shooters in his class. The 6-foot-7 wing shot close to 45 percent from three last season as Montverde Academy’s leading scorer last season.
McNeeley has a quick release on his jump shot. He drifts well with the passer, playing with excellent balance and receiving the pass shot-ready. McNeeley has good positional size, and he moves the ball well, not letting it stick in his hands and showing good passing touch in the half-court. McNeeley can straight-line drive a closeout to take advantage of sloppy closeouts.
Defensively, McNeeley is a good team defender. While you do not want him guarding on an island, he anticipates well as a help defender and will stick his nose into the mix and take chargers and get rebounds.
McNeeley is an average athlete, but he has a high basketball IQ and a good feel for the game. His threat as a shooter pulls gravity, opening up driving lanes and providing spacing in the half-court. He continues to produce numbers at the highest level of competition.
How does McNeeley fit into the lineup?
Liam McNeeley has the type of positional size and shooting that can fit into multiple spots on the floor. He can also be surrounded by different lineups.
Indiana currently has two seniors on its roster. The other ten players each have eligibility left, should they choose to use it. Mackenzie Mgbako, Malik Reneau, and Kaleb Banks are listed as forwards. Mgbako is getting some early buzz as a possible one-and-done type.
Indiana is in play for a couple more players in the 2024 class.
McNeeley Talks Indiana
“The relationship with Indiana keeps growing. We talk all the time. They just added Kel’el Ware from the transfer portal, and they’ve been recruiting at a high level. Coach (Mike) Woodson and his basketball mind are intriguing to me. He has an NBA mindset, and that is what I’m trying to do: be a one-and-done. I think he’s capable of helping me do that with his experience being in the league for so long. I’m excited to see what they do next season.”
“Indiana shows so much love,” he says. “They lost a couple of their starters, so they’ve lost a couple of games, but they’re obviously super well-coached, got great fans. I know some guys on their team. When I took my visit, I loved it.”