UCONN forward Liam McNeeley is an impressive shooter on the wings and will be able to fit into any offensive set up, which adds to his value ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft where he looms as a lottery selection.

The Huskies gun has made a name for himself as a sharpshooter throughout his time in the NCAA system, and is looking to take his game to the top level. He is an extremely gifted performer from behind the arc, and is one of the best spot-up shooters in the class, which will certainly be enticing to sides looking to find a player that can fit in now.

Although his shooting off the dribble and overall shot creation could do with some work, there is still plenty of upside to his offensive game, and he works extremely hard off the ball, often finding himself open on the perimeter having outworked his opponent.

For the Huskies this season, McNeeley posted numbers of 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.2 blocks on 38 per cent shooting from the field and 32 per cent shooting from behind the arc.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will run through some of the clearest comparisons to already established NBA talents, with McNeeley looking extremely similar to some of the best shooters of the past decade.

Keegan Murray – Sacramento Kings

A fellow deadeye who has been able to thrive at the top level, Murray has made a name for himself as an electric sharpshooter and may have drawn the blueprint for McNeeley. Selected with the fourth overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft after a standout campaign with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Murray quickly became a key part of the Sacramento Kings, and was named to the All-Rookie First Team for his efforts. He then continued to improve throughout his time with the team, and put up a career-high 47 points on 12/15 shooting from behind the arc in his best performance in the NBA. A widely known sharpshooter, Murray is much like McNeeley in his ability to find the bottom of the net consistently as a spot up shooter, and the latter will be eager to make a similarly immediate impact when he reaches the NBA in the coming months.

Klay Thompson – Dallas Mavericks

McNeely would be thrilled to reach the heights of Thompson, who is undoubtedly one of the best shooters not only in the modern era, but of all time. After joining a young Golden State Warriors team in the 2011 NBA Draft with the 11th overall pick, he was a key cog in one of the most successful dynasties of all time. The Warriors won four championships with Thompson occupying the shooting spot, and he is fourth on the all-time three-pointers made list. A 48-minute threat from behind the arc, there are few players that have reached the heights of Thompson as a perimeter presence, and he holds the record for most three-pointers in a single game with 14 points and most points in a single quarter with 37, showcasing his enormous scoring ability. Although it is a big ask, if McNeeley can become just as impactful from behind the arc, he will be a steal for whichever team picks him.

Corey Kispert – Washington Wizards

If Thompson is the ceiling for McNeeley, Kispert is arguably the floor, which says just how exciting of a prospect he is given how strongly the latter has developed. Selected in the 2021 NBA Draft, Kispert has been a reliable double-digit scorer for the Wizards over his four years with the team, averaging less than 11 points just once, in his rookie season. In the NBA, he has shot 38 per cent from behind the arc, and is widely known as a serious contributor from behind the arc. A career-high nine triples in 2023 showcased his ceiling, and although a thumb injury ended his most recent campaign early, he still looms as a crucial piece for the team. Both he and McNeeley work extremely well off the ball, and are solid athletes for their player profile, which has proved a winning formula for Kispert at the top level.