The NBA Draft Combine begins Sunday in Chicago and while it won’t be another reunion of UConn’s starting five, one-and-done freshman Liam McNeeley hopes to become the program’s fourth lottery selection in the last three years.
The Richardson, Texas, native stepped into the Huskies’ basketball facility with expectations similar to those on Stephon Castle, Dan Hurley’s first McDonald’s All-American recruit who helped win a national championship before being picked fourth overall and winning NBA Rookie of the Year. One CBS Sports mock draft from Adam Finkelstein projects the last two Big East Freshman of the Year winners to team up with McNeeley returning to his home state as the 14th overall pick of the San Antonio Spurs.
“The Spurs are one team smart enough to see past the 31.7% McNeeley shot from behind the arc last season as he was thrust into a starring role by necessity. He’s a vastly better shooter than that and could provide some much-needed floor spacing for the Spurs while also checking boxes for his overall basketball IQ and competitiveness,” Finkelstein wrote in his scouting report.
Other projections have McNeeley falling just below the lottery after a freshman season that was stunted by a high ankle sprain that kept him off the court for about a month. A 6-foot-7 wing, McNeeley finished the season as the Huskies’ leading scorer at 14.5 points in 32.2 minutes per game, adding 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Touted as one of the best shooters in his high school class, McNeeley can likely improve his stock with a strong showing at the combine after he shot an underwhelming 31.7% from beyond the arc at UConn.
In another CBS Sports mock draft, from Cameron Salerno, McNeeley is slotted three picks later at No. 17 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Both have him ranked as the 12th-best prospect in the draft and fourth at his position. A Sports Illustrated projection has McNeeley joining the top team in the western conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, with the 15th overall selection. Bleacher Report has him going No. 20 overall to the Miami Heat, and NBADraft.net has the former Husky going No. 22 to the Atlanta Hawks.
“His spot-up shooting, off-screen scoring and transition finishing should translate first and get the most use. He should eventually provide some ball-screen handling with the ability to attack downhill and make passing reads,” Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman wrote in his scouting report, comparing McNeeley to Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings. “The athletic and defensive limitations just make it difficult to envision star-caliber upside, and he’ll need to grow his pull-up game to pose more of a threat offensively. A 43.9 two-point percentage is relatively concerning if we’re talking about a lottery pick.”
Samson Johnson getting noticed
UConn’s Samson Johnson, who left Storrs as the winningest player in program history, wasn’t invited to the NBA Draft Combine or the G League Showcase. But the uber-athletic, 6-foot-10 center made the most of his opportunity at the Portsmouth Invitational in April and drew attention from several NBA organizations, according to Spotrac’s Keith Smith.
Johnson averaged 7.3 points on 56.3% shooting from the field and 6.7 rebounds over three games at the Portsmouth Invitational, where he had two blocks and three steals. The Lome, Togo native produced 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 19.3 minutes per game over his lone season as a starter for the Huskies.
According to Smith, Johnson reportedly has workouts set up with the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Wizards.
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