Analyst Predicts UConn Star To Be Drafted By NBA Playoff Hopeful
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Liam McNeeley has officially declared for the NBA Draft and is moving on to the next stage of his professional basketball career.
The UConn Huskies star is an intriguing prospect and would be a perfect fit on any team, given his ability to play off the ball with his hands and to space the floor with his outside shot.
Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo! Sports released his latest mock draft and is projecting McNeeley to be drafted by the Orlando Magic with the 16th overall pick in the first round.
The Magic are currently the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and have clinched a spot in the Play-In Tournament to hopefully make it into the playoffs.
However, no matter what happens after the regular season ends, Orlando could use a player like McNeeley.
As O'Connor points out, "The Magic rank 25th in 3-point attempts and 30th in 3-point percentage, so this pick needs to be used on a shooter and McNeeley should be able to get back to his knockdown ways next to Orlando's core stars."
Even though McNeeley didn't have a strong end to his collegiate career from behind the arc, the potential and mechanics to be a solid long-range shooter at the next level are still there.
"Despite his poor shooting percentages, scouts still believe in his upside as a sharpshooting wing with superb instincts moving with the ball, and the touch to splash from deep ranges," O'Connor noted.
The 19-year-old is a very raw prospect with plenty of upside if drafted into the right organization.
Given McNeeley's skill set and Orlando's needs, the Magic could be the perfect team for him to start his NBA career.
Tommy Wild has been primarily contributing across the Browns, Guardians and Cavaliers sites in the On SI network since 2022. Born, raised, and having graduated from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Tommy knows firsthand how passionate the fan base is and he does his best to replicate that in his writing.