NBA Team Projected to Pair Former UConn Stars Liam McNeeley, Donovan Clingan
With the NBA Draft less than a week away, UConn Huskies fans should get a better idea of where former star Liam McNeeley will start his professional career.
However, there still seems to be some disagreement among analysts as to where the 19-year-old could be selected on draft night.
Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports! recently released his latest mock draft and projected McNeeley to be a lottery pick and almost a top-10 selection, going to the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 11.
"The Trail Blazers could be targeting a shooter with this pick after ranking 24th in 3-point percentage and in the middle of the pack in attempts last season," wrote O'Connor.
"McNeeley is a sharpshooting wing with superb instincts moving without the ball and the touch to splash from deep ranges. Though he doesn't project as a primary shot creator, his feel as a connective passer gives him the skill to fit into any type of offense."
This prediction differs significantly from a recent mock draft by CBS Sports, which has McNeeley dropping to pick No. 21.
Considering Portland's roster and future, selecting McNeeley makes sense for both short-term and long-term goals.
Plus, it would be cool to see the reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year team up with another former UConn standout, Donovan Clingan, who is also on the roster.
Clingan and McNeeley obviously never overlapped during their time at UConn, but having this duo on the same roster could give Huskies fans an extra reason to tune into some late-night West Coast Trail Blazers games this NBA season.
If Portland is set on drafting McNeeley and pairing him with Clingan, it'll be interesting to see if they select the forward at No. 11 or if they could trade back in the draft and choose him just outside the lottery.
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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.