5-Star Prospect Liam McNeeley Talks Recruitment, Skill Development
Everyone wants Liam McNeeley on their basketball team.
That includes Mike Woodson and the Indiana Hoosiers, who are heavily recruiting the five-star, 6-foot-8 wing in the class of 2024.
McNeeley has Indiana in his top six schools for his college decision, along with Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Oklahoma and Alabama. He's entering his senior year at the powerhouse Montverde Academy, where he's teammates with fellow five-star, Indiana men's basketball recruiting target Derik Queen.
In a prior article, HoosiersNow.com broke down McNeeley's incredible offensive talent in a film study. And in an exclusive interview, McNeeley talked about what he's like on the basketball court, what matters to him most in his college recruitment and why he believes every team — college or pro — should want him in the future.
HoosiersNow.com interview with Liam McNeeley
Hoosiers Now: "When did you first realize that you were such a great shooter? Was there any particular moment where it kind of hit you and you realized how good you are at that?"
McNeeley: "It was the beginning of my junior year [at Montverde] in the preseason. I was just on fire to start out the preseason, and I never had shot that good before. So just during that summer, I was putting in reps and getting form shots in, set shots and shots off the move. It showed in the games, and I've continued to keep putting in work."
HN: "The more teams try to take away your three-point shooting, how do you have to work on the court to get more open looks for yourself?"
McNeeley: "I always try to stay on the move and get people off balance and change my speeds. But if someone is going to deny me a shot, then I'm okay with that. I'll turn into a playmaker and get my teammates open. I really got better at that at Montverde. Coach Boyle just emphasized so much that I need to stay on the move."
HN: "Is there anything else Coach Boyle or your other coaches at Montverde have told you or tried to help you with in your game?"
McNeeley: "I feel like I'm a very unselfish player, but sometimes to a fault. I'm not looking for my shot enough, so coaches have definitely told me to shoot more."
HN: "Are there any players at the pro or college level that your coaches at Montverde have told you to watch to learn how to get open off the ball?"
McNeeley: "[Coach Boyle] has told me to watch Caleb Houstan. He played at Montverde a couple of seasons ago. He's with the [Orlando] Magic right now, and [Coach Boyle] thinks he's similar to me. He's also told me Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick."
HN: "Do you ever talk to former Montverde players to try and learn from them?
McNeeley: "Yeah, I talked to both Jalen Hood-Schifino and Malik Reneau on my Indiana visit." (Hood-Schifino and Reneau played at Montverde before committing to Indiana).
HN: "Reading some scouting reports and posts about you, a lot of people say things like, 'Really smart positionally on defense, really big and strong and knows where to be, but he's not a great athlete.' Do you think you get underrated as an athlete on the court?"
McNeeley: "I think my athleticism gets taken for granted. I think I'm a better athlete than people think. Some people that don't know a lot about the game only look for dunks. That's what they get excited about it, and they think that's the only thing you can do that's athletic, but they're wrong."
HN: "Is there any specific weakness or area of your game that you want to improve heading into your senior year of high school basketball?"
McNeeley: "Consistency as an all-around player. Last year, I had really good games on offense, but not as much on defense. And other games, I had really great defensive games, but not as much on offense. I just want to keep putting together great, all-around games."
HN: "Do you think having played at such a high level of high school basketball by going to Montverde will help you translate better to the next level? For some guys, it can be hard adjusting, because in high school they were always the best player on the court no matter what, but at Montverde, you're surrounded by other five-stars and playing against other great teams."
McNeeley: "For sure. Montverde teaches you how to play with great players, and where I'm trying to go [for college], there's only great players."
HN: "Speaking of where you end up going to college, what's the most important factor in your college decision?"
McNeeley: "I'm really looking for a school that's going to help me achieve my dream of getting drafted, and staying in the NBA for a long time. Whatever school that me and my family think will help me the most, that's the school I'm going to go to."
HN: "Is it important to you that the team and school you go to runs an NBA style offense?"
McNeeley: "[Playing in] an NBA system is very, very important. Using me in the right way so that NBA teams see what I'm capable of."
HN: "Obviously, you're teammates at Montverde with Derik Queen, who's also a five-star prospect getting recruited heavily by Indiana. A lot of Indiana fans are hoping IU is able to land both of you. Have you thought about playing with Derik again in college?"
McNeeley: "Derik [Queen] is obviously a really good friend, he's my brother. So of course, I wouldn't mind playing with him for another year."
HN: "Last thing here — if you're making your pitch now, both to college teams and NBA teams in the future, why should they want you on their team? What does Liam McNeeley bring to a team?
McNeeley: "I'm a winner. I try and make winning plays every time that I have the ball, and every time that I don't have the ball. I just try to help my team in as many ways as possible."
Related Stories on Indiana Basketball
- LIAM MCNEELEY FILM STUDY: Liam McNeeley, a five-star prospect in the class of 2024, is being recruited by coach Mike Woodson and the Indiana Hoosiers. McNeeley attends Montverde Academy and plays for the Florida Rebels AAU team on the Nike EYBL circuit, and he's teammates with fellow Indiana basketball recruiting targets Derik Queen, Curtis Givens and Asa Newell. CLICK HERE
- DERIK QUEEN FILM STUDY: Indiana is in the mix for the five-star center from Montverde, so we wrote a scouting report on what makes the 6-foot-9 center such a unique and desirable prospect. CLICK HERE
- KEL'EL WARE PLAYING AT NIKE ACADEMY: The former five-star prospect who transferred from Oregon to Indiana this offseason was named to 16-player college roster at the academy in Portland, while other IU recruiting targets in Liam McNeeley, Boogie Fland and Dylan Harper were named to the 18-player high school roster. CLICK HERE
