2025 NBA Draft Picks Shine in Greensboro-Maine G League Contest

In the midst of a long NBA season with plenty of standout performances, its easy to forget about rookies who haven't made much of an impact yet for their teams.

While a few members of the 2025 NBA Draft class have grabbed headlines, including each of the top four picks, there are plenty that haven't had the same success to start their careers.

Most prospects from the most recent draft cycle haven't put together as many highlights as Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel or even later lottery selections like Cedric Coward, but there is still reason to be encouraged.

Some players, like Knueppel's teammate and first-round pick Liam McNeeley just need more time to develop before being ready to earn significant minutes on an NBA court. The No. 29 overall selection in the 2025 draft has appeared in 27 contests for the Hornets, averaging 4.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game while shooting 39.5% from the field and 37.9% from 3-point range.

In the G League, though, McNeeley has found more success.

The Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte's G League affiliate, lost on Sunday against the Maine Celtics, Boston's G League affiliate, but McNeeley tallied 28 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and one turnover. McNeeley shot 11-of-15 from the field, 2-of-5 from beyond the arc and 3-of-3 from the free throw line.

The 20-year-old wing is averaging 21.5 points, 6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 49.1% from the field and 28.9% from deep in eight regular season contests with the Swarm.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds, McNeeley has good size for a wing player and could certainly be a solid addition to the Hornets rotation in the coming seasons if he continues to develop. Still a young prospect, the former five-star recruit has plenty of time to sharpen his skills.

For Maine, second-round pick Max Shulga tallied 33 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds and a steal in the Celtics' win. The No. 57 overall selection in 2025 shot 11-of-17 from the field, 5-of-8 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the free throw line.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Shulga spent five seasons in college before being selected by Boston. While he hasn't appeared in an NBA game yet, the Kyiv, Ukraine, native is averaging 15.3 points, 7.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals across 12 regrular season games with Maine.

Shulga is shooting 42% from the field and 34.6% from beyond the arc, and likely needs to improve his efficiency before making the leap to NBA competition.

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