"Liam has the potential to be a star here": 2x national champ Dan Hurley makes his thoughts clear on UConn commit Liam McNeeley 

After back-to-back NCAA championships, UConn is ready to bolster its roster with the No.16 recruit in 247Sports' 2024 class, Liam McNeeley.

A star out of Monteverde, McNeeley was a highly sought-after recruit, with Michigan and its new head coach Dusty May serving as tough competitors to UConn to secure his services.

However, after a visit to the Huskies compound on April 22, 2024, the decision to commit to Connecticut came just four days later. Head coach Dan Hurley was ecstatic about McNeeley joining the team.

After UConn made the signing official with a post on X/Twitter, Evan Rodriguez of the Daily Campus Sports Department quickly got word from Hurley:

“Liam is one of the best players in high school basketball, and we are tremendously excited to add him to our UConn family,” Hurley said. “He is blessed with elite skill and positional size, along with the championship pedigree that we so value at Connecticut. Liam has the potential to be a star here.”

A 6-foot-7, the small forward has an extremely efficient shot profile, averaging 12.7 points a night on 45% shooting from downtown on a healthy dosage of those looks.

Initially, McNeeley had committed to the Indiana Hoosiers which fell through in March earlier this year. Speaking on his decommitment, the 18-year-old revealed his direct line of communication to head coach Mike Woodson:

"I personally reached out to Indiana, spoke with coach Mike Woodson and had a direct conversation with him. I expressed my utmost respect for coach Woodson, IN University, and their devoted fan base."

How did Liam McNeeley's signing come about for UConn?

During the recruitment process, teams like Kansas, Houston, Michigan and Kentucky were also in the running for the youngster's services. The offer from Michigan, in particular, was lucrative:

"New Michigan head coach Dusty May said I was his first recruiting call. That was special," McNeeley told ESPN.

However, it was UConn that eventually won out, with their legacy and success since the turn of the decade serving as key reasons for the sharpshooter's decision:

"It felt like a perfect fit, McNeeley said. "Coach Hurley is a hard-nosed coach. That's the kind of coach I thrive under. The offensive system they run is perfect for my game. The culture of the team. The sets they run. They are going to help me get better on both sides of the ball. The whole coaching staff are good people."

A McDonald's All-American, Liam McNeeley's case as a can't-miss prospect was further bolstered by his incredible 33-0 record at Monteverde, with a Chipotle High School Nationals championship putting an exclamation point on his season.

The third-leading scorer on his squad behind Cooper Flagg and Derik Queen, McNeeley had a critical role to play, with his progress on the year a testament to the coaching staff, according to the man himself:

"I definitely progressed throughout this season," McNeeley said. "The whole staff at Montverde and Coach [Kevin] Boyle pushed me to be more than just a shooter. My teammates trusted me to make big plays in big games. I hope that carries on to UConn now."

The "championship pedigree" that Coach Hurley spoke about in McNeeley is something that the recruit himself is looking to make full use of, with championship success a key priority:

"My main goal is to win a national championship. UConn is on a roll right now. They've gone back-to-back, so there's no reason we can't contend for a three-peat."

With slots opening up on the team thanks to the departure of Cam Spencer, Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle, Donovan Klingan, and potentially Alex Karaban, Liam McNeeley has big shoes to fill from the get-go.

Do you think he can help the Huskies back to the promised land? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.