NBA
Charlotte’s Liam McNeeley is flashing his raw potential at 2k26 summer league in Las Vegas
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated20 mins ago on July 16, 2025
With the 29th pick in the 2025 NBA draft, the Suns selected Liam McNeeley out of UConn. However, the team quickly traded the draft rights for McNeeley to the Hornets.
In return, the Suns received big man Mark Williams. Upon arriving in Charlotte, Liam McNeeley has been turning heads at the 2k26 summer league. The 19-year-old slipped in the first round and is proving his doubters wrong. McNeeley was a projected lottery pick, but injuries and inconsistent shooting dropped his draft position. Regardless, McNeeley has found a home in Charlotte and will look to find his role with the team.
Liam McNeeley could be a steal from the first round of the 2025 draft class
Liam McNeeley had an awesome summer league debut.
As fun as the counting stats and highlights are, @hornets fans should be stoked with how he looked physically.
You could see that McNeeley has fully recovered from his ankle injury. He looked way more explosive and confident… pic.twitter.com/zk5ap4tTCH
— ALBERT GHIM (@albertoeghim) July 12, 2025
Before he was drafted in the NBA, Liam McNeeley played one season for the UConn Huskies. Coming out of high school, McNeeley was a McDonald’s All-American and the 9th-ranked player in the class of 2024 by ESPN. As a freshman, McNeeley played in 27 of the team’s 35 games and made 26 starts. He averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
The freshman had shooting inconsistencies with UConn, and that’s partially why he slipped in the draft. On top of that, McNeeley dealt with ankle injuries that forced him to miss eight games in 2024-25. However, Liam McNeeley has played well during the summer league and is flashing his raw potential. During his first game, the 19-year-old had 22 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists off the bench.
🎙️ Liam McNeeley: “I know I can only control two things, and that’s my attitude and my effort. But if I have a great attitude and I give all my effort, I mean, that’s all I can do.”@liammcneeley30 Postgame Interview 👇 pic.twitter.com/WcTQstShQj
— r/CharlotteHornets on Reddit (@HornetsReddit) July 12, 2025
He was a key player for the Hornets in a 111-105 win vs. the Jazz. Twelve rebounds were an impressive stat line from McNeeley. The rookie had 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists in Charlotte’s 96-94 victory vs. the Sixers. Despite his production slipping slightly, McNeeley has played well. Analysts have been impressed with his defensive production. That was another concern for scouts as he entered the league.
Liam McNeeley has shown promise as a two-way prospect for the Hornets during summer league play. The rookie could spend time with Charlotte’s G Leahue affiliate. Additionally, he’ll likely see some action with the Hornets as well. That’s typical of later first-round picks who still need time to develop. Through two summer league games, Liam McNeeley has looked like a steal at pick #29 for the Horents. How effective can the rookie be in 2025-26?
