Dan Hurley makes his feelings clear as UConn star Liam McNeeley declares for 2025 NBA Draft
The Liam McNeeley experience is over for Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies after the freshman forward announced on Tuesday that he will declare for the 2025 NBA Draft. Hurley discussed McNeeley's draft decision in a message on X (formerly Twitter).
The UConn coach replied to a post from basketball insider Jonathan Givony about the Big East Freshman of the Year entering the NBA Draft. There were no hard feelings, though, for Hurley, who wished McNeeley the best as he embarks on the next step in his basketball career.
"Skills will translate seamlessly to today’s NBA and his character is absolutely elite … work ethic … super competitive … great teammate … wants to be coached … desperately wants to win … confident yet humble. Good Luck my man. … it was a pleasure coaching you!," Hurley wrote.
Liam McNeeley posted impressive numbers in his freshman season with the UConn Huskies. He led them in scoring, averaging 14.5 points through 27 games. McNeeley was the Huskies' second-leading rebounder as well, behind Tarris Reed Jr., averaging 6.0 boards per contest.
McNeeley had his best offensive performance against the Creighton Bluejays on Feb. 11, scoring a career-high 38 points on 12-for-22 shooting. He shot 5-for-10 from the 3-point area and 9-for-10 from the charity stripe in UConn's 70-66 victory.
How Liam McNeeley fared under Dan Hurley in the 2025 NCAA Tournament
Liam McNeeley and Dan Hurley entered the 2025 NCAA Tournament hoping to lead the UConn Huskies to their third consecutive national championship. There were plenty of question marks surrounding the Huskies, who had failed to defend their Big East Tournament title after losing to Creighton in the semifinals.
The eighth-seeded Huskies opened their March Madness campaign against the ninth-seeded Oklahoma Sooners in the first round. Solo Ball and Alex Karaban led UConn to a 67-59 victory over Oklahoma, combining for 27 points in the round-of-64 clash.
McNeeley struggled in his NCAA Tournament debut, scoring eight points in the win over the Sooners. He shot 2-for-13 from the floor, including 1-for-8 from the 3-point area.
McNeeley bounced back in the next game against the Florida Gators, scoring a team-high 22 points in the second round. He shot 6-for-16 from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. Those numbers weren't enough to secure victory for the Huskies, though, who lost 77-75.